Suicide on the Line
by Teiden
Summary: Sasori is a suicide hotline operator who didnt expect much of his job. But when a depressed teen named Deidara calls his line, he falls into a twisted plot. Trying to pull Deidara out of the dark world of the city, can things stay stable? SasoDei
1. First Call

**[DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! As much as I would LIKE to own Naruto, it's sadly not a reality. Oh well, can't get everything you want. A]**

**A/N: I got the idea for the story in the middle of the night, right before I was about to fall asleep. It was like a light bulb lit up over my head at random, and then I shot out of bed, ran to my computer downstairs and started typing! But I didn't get very far that night because my mom gave a huge 'WTF? Why aren't you in bed?' look 'cause it was like one in the morning. But greatness cannot wait! Of course that didn't fly with her, so I had to go back to bed and (key word) **_**try**_ **to sleep. This is my original idea and I don't think anyone has tried something like this with this pairing so… yeah! Hope you like it!**

DAY 1—MONDAY—10:33 P.M.

Akasuna Sasori didn't care much for his job. This so called occupation was only temporary, so he ignored the details and did what he was supposed to do. Of course the ideal part of it, that he thought would make the job easy, turned out to be annoying. The basic title for his job was a suicide hotline operator. At first, he thought there would be a phone call every now and then, and he would have to pretend to listen and read off some facts to the person and that would be it. But he had it wrong; all he had done for a month was listen to dial tones and prank calls.

Though, there was a joke amongst his co-workers. They said if anyone did call Sasori's line, he'd probably push the person over the edge to actually kill themselves, since he certainly wouldn't be able to help them.

There were two other suicide line operators for the city. They were Kisame and Kakuzu. They weren't bad people; he just had no interest in them, and neither of them seemed to be right in the head _always_.

So every night, on the fifty-third floor of the Intercity Communications Tower, a bored Sasori sat with nothing to do except stare at a wall and wish for the daytime to come so he could go back to his artwork.

_RING! RING! RING!_

"If this is another prank call…" Sasori sighed and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"…"

"Is anyone there?"

"Un…" A quiet male voice answered.

Sasori sighed. It didn't seem like a prank call, so he might as well read off the help card and get this over with.

"Welcome to the suicide hotline for your city. At our establishment, we will listen to your problems and help you find a solution to your depression both in and out of this phone conversation. How may we help you?"

"Is this a recoding?" The voice asked. He sent an annoyed look through the phone, taken aback by this person's bluntness. Did he really sound like a recording?

"Uh…? No, this isn't a recording." He answered, feeling a nerve twitch above his eyebrow.

"You sounded like a robot, un…"

By now, he could tell that this person wasn't an adult. Most likely a teenager, but either way, they were becoming irritating. And what exactly could the person have expected? A happy hello and all their problems would be gone? This was why Sasori didn't want to take the job in the first place, stupid teenagers. But, the pay was decent and he only had a few weeks left to go before his new job started. So he decided to just grin and bear it.

"Look, brat-! I mean…" He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, kid, why did you call?"

"…"

"Parents abuse you?"

"…"

"Bullied at school?"

"…"

"Kid, the point of this is for you to talk to me." Sasori could hear Kisame chuckling on the other side of the cubicle. He punched the thin wall, telling the man to shut up.

"I'm… depressed…" The boy mumbled softly.

"Okay, why are you depressed?"

"Lots of… reasons. I guess, un…"

"Alright. Are you still is school?"

"Un… High school."

"How are your grades?"

"All 'A's'."

"Are you bullied?"

"No. I'm a senior…"

"Friends?"

"I actually have a lot of friends." His voice was growing louder, but more distant, as if he was no longer focused on the world he was occupying. Sasori sighed and went through his list of what could make a teenager depressed. But every time he thought of something, he saw it as a trivial matter such as running out of eyeliner or being dumped. So he picked up his help card again.

"Do your parents abuse you?"

"No. Neither of them does."

"Are your parents divorced?"

"Yeah, but they've been like that since I was young, un…"

Sasori was out of things to ask. What else could make a teen depressed, besides the obvious? If he knew what the kid was upset about he could just say get over it and move on. He might get fired for saying it, but he hadn't slept at all last night and now he was talking to some brat on the other end of the line who seemed perfectly fine.

"Pssst! Sasori!" Kisame whispered harshly over the small wall.

Sasori covered the phone with his hand and looked up to see the blue man peeking over into his area. "What?" He glared at his co-worker.

"Ask him what he likes to do." Kisame grinned and disappeared behind the wall.

Sighing, Sasori removed his hand and put the phone back up to his ear. Might as well try it…

"Alright, brat. What do you like to do?"

"What do I like to do? Umm… I like to make clay sculptures. I guess I'm an artist, un."

Sasori was again surprised by the teen on the other end. [The fact that Sasori was also an artist made it slightly easier to talk to the person on the other end, and it made things more clear. Many of his fellow artists could be described as unstable or insane, but none suicidal. So maybe the kid was just getting the two mixed up?

"I'm also an artist. This is only a temporary thing 'til my new job picks up in a few weeks."

"Really…?" The kid on the other end sounded as if he had just realized something. Sasori raised an eyebrow, even though no one could see it.

"Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?"

"It's just… That explains why you suck at this, un." The boy chuckled half-heartedly while Sasori groaned. If he sucked that bad, why did the kid keep talking to him?

"You're the one that called me, so don't complain. I'm not the one who has problems."

The line suddenly went quiet.

"Shit…" Sasori rubbed his left temple to ward off the headache blooming there. Kakuzu and Kisame's joke echoed in his head and he became even more annoyed. This was his first time he had ever talked to someone with a real problem. So neither of his co-workers could blame him, but he could blame himself if the kid did actually kill himself while he was talking to him.

Sasori tried to think of things that cheered him up, hoping that it would help the kid, only to find that he didn't actually know what to say. He wasn't really the most sociable person, and he didn't have very many interests that a teenager would care for. So he went to the alternative, quickly saying:

"Tell me about your art."

"Hn…?" The teen responded in a more surprised tone.

"Tell me about your art." Sasori repeated a little more calmly.

"What about it?"

"You said you like clay, right? What do you like to make with it?"

The teen took a moment to respond, but once he got going, it was easy to see that he was enthusiastic about his work. He told stories about winning a few prizes for his sculptures and how he enjoyed creating them so much. While the boy continued for a while, needing no input from the redhead, Sasori found himself smiling. He knew art was something that could make everyone's heart rise. Even depressed, melodramatic teens could know the wonders art creates and expresses. Though, there was one thing Sasori was interested to hear from the brat.

"What do you think true art is?" The question slipped out of his mouth without his permission. Mentally slapping himself, he waited for an answer nonetheless.

"Art should only last a moment, so that its beauty will show bright for a mere second, then fade away forever, making the viewer want more. True art will always be fleeting, un." The brat spoke fluently, almost poetically. Sasori would give him that compliment. But that didn't change the fact that he was incorrect.

"Wrong."

"Wrong, un?"

"True art is eternal. It should be appreciated throughout time and be admired. Why would you want something you worked so hard on to just disappear?"

"It wouldn't be gone forever, it would still be in the minds and memories of whoever saw the masterpiece. They would love it after only a second and wish for more. Besides, how many things do you see that last forever?"

"You're wrong, art is eternal. And don't you think such rare and beautiful things that last forever should be treasured?"

"No. Fleeting, un."

"Eternal."

"Fleeting."

"Eternal."

"Fleeting, un!"

"Eternal, and stop being a stubborn brat."

"Hmph. I've gotta go. You suck at your job anyway." The kid on the other end sounded much less energetic and now more irritable. This, oddly, relieved Sasori. If the kid was mad, his focus would be diverted from his depression. Then he would be less likely to kill himself.

"My name is Deidara, by the way."

This again slightly surprised Sasori. Did it really matter what the brat's name was? It wasn't like it was a good thing for someone to be calling him. If it was a normal conversation with someone he knew and was just talking on the phone to them, that would be fine. But the kid, whose said name is Deidara, is talking to a complete stranger that works on the city's suicide hotline. Did that sound like a person you wanted to tell your name too?

Sasori sighed to the teen on the other end who had questionable sanity.

"Fine by me, goodbye."

"Bye… Fleeting!"

"Ah-!" The dial tone could already be heard, the brat had left Sasori hanging on the line.

He let the phone drop back down on the charger so he could fully rub both temples. But no matter how hard he rubbed, it seemed the headache Deidara had left behind would not go away. Sighing again, the redhead leaned back in his chair, only to see Kisame come around the corner with two steaming cups of coffee in hand.

The blue man, upon seeing Sasori's drained expression, laughed good-naturedly.

"Here, want some of Kakuzu's famous cheap-ass coffee?"

"Sure. I need the caffeine anyway. How much longer until my shift is done?" Sasori asked while grabbing the warm cup and taking in the steam through his nose. It was just how he liked it, straight black with no cream or sugar. Plus it was bitter enough to rot out anyone's stomach, just how he liked it.

Taking a nice big gulp, Sasori sighed in heaven.

"Now, how can you drink that stuff everyday and still have snow white teeth, when my teeth have all kinds of stains?" Kisame leaned up against the thin wall casually while sipping his own Cup-of-Joe leisurely.

"For one, I don't eat raw meat." The redhead smiled with dreamy eyes as the steam from the warm cup started to relax him. Even his headache started to melt away. This moment was the perfect example of the one upside to the job; he could relax all he wanted. And if he wished, he could turn around and look outside to the glowing city in the night. The entire back wall of the fifty-third floor was all glass, giving a perfect view of the stars above and the shops below.

"Ha-ha. Very funny. By the way, you're a natural at this, ya know?" Kisame now smirked down at his co-worker, satisfied.

Sasori only glared up, now reminded of his verbal encounter with the teen.

"It seemed that kid liked ya. He sure got you arguing pretty well."

"He was a brat." Sasori said, taking another sip of the coffee. He hoped that this lukewarm caffeine-saturated brew would be the cure to the pain in his skull.

Kisame chuckled and put a friendly hand on the irritated redhead's shoulder. "Doesn't matter now, I'd just go home and get some sleep if I were you."

"It's midnight already? How long was I talking to him?"

"Ahh…? 'Bout an hour and a half I guess. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?" Kisame chuckled and removed his hand, enabling Sasori to get up from his chair. Grabbing his coat, he slid his laptop into his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Maybe that kid will call tomorrow, hmm?" Kisame laughed in his general direction as he started for the elevator.

Sasori merely rolled his eyes and pressed the first floor button for the elevator to go down. When the doors reopened to the lobby, he quickly walked out and started down the empty street. His apartment was only five blocks away, and he didn't mind walking. It had been a long night and all he wanted to do was fall asleep in his own bed.

Thunder sounded off in the distance as he turned a corner. It had been raining a lot for the past week, and it wasn't supposed to let up anytime soon. He hurried down the street with a quick, confident stride, hoping to beat the weather. He was only one block away from his home when he heard gunshots, a usual occurrence in this part of the city. Sasori ducked into an alley and waited, letting the two cars screech past his hiding spot and listening to them launch bullets at one another. When the gunshots faded into the distance and he heard nothing for ten seconds, he extracted himself from the alley and started off toward his home once again.

Sasori had never really liked the city, with its high crime rates and violent gangs. But if anything, he hated the suburbs even more. Those were nothing but annoying "friendly" neighbors who were obsessed with their lawns and kids and who judged everyone behind their backs. Now that was hell, at least it was for him. Besides, it wasn't like you could find any prominent art galleries or museums in some small town. So despite the unappealing part of the city he lived in, there were some definite bonuses to city life.

Sasori sighed with utter relief for the first time that night when he saw his home in view. The gray stone building was actually very cozy, well, some would say small. It only had three levels. The first floor was the lobby, large kitchen and laundry room. The other two floors were where the residents lived. Four apartments on the second floor and three on the third. The third floor residents got two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room and their own small laundry room. The second floor residents only had one bedroom, tiny kitchen and bathroom, with a living room. Though he lived by himself, he needed the extra room for his art supplies, so he lived on the third floor.

Entering the lobby, he was grateful to feel the welcoming heat from the vents. He went up two flights of stairs and down the hall to his own apartment, his sanctuary. Sliding the key in and entering his solitary haven relaxed him even further. He was glad to be home.


	2. A Regular

**A/N: THANK YOU! To all that reviewed, favorite and put down this story as one of their alerts! When I woke up the next morning to check out how things went, I was very excited. I do hope people like what I write! (and if you do, I'm not saying you have to, but reviews do make me happy to see what you guys think… Just saying!) But I hope you guys like chapter two, the story is devolving in my head nicely, all I have to do is type it. So! Here ya go!**

**Before I forget!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. Fate is so cruel sometimes… *sighs* (But! I do take them and put them in little yaoi pairings where I give all hell to the little Uke and let the Seme get some action!) Hehe~**

**Enjoy!**

DAY 2 – TUESDAY – 9:32 P.M.

Sasori was not a patient man, and at the moment, his co-workers were really testing his nerves…

"But you should of seen it Kakuzu! He got Sasori all riled up and everything." Kisame was giving a replay of last night. They were all currently sipping water from the water cooler on the fifty-third floor, when Kisame had taken the liberty to fill Kakuzu in on every detail he could think of. As much as Sasori respected them for being peers, they were so inconvenient sometimes.

"The way I see it… If the boy calls back, you might have your first regular Sasori." Kakuzu nodded his head as if in thought.

"That's what I was thinking!"

This however, caught his eye.

"What do you mean by 'regular'?" The redhead inquired.

"Ahh… We all have our regulars Sasori. Me, Kakuzu, and Zetsu before you. A regular is someone who calls your certain line constantly or always asks for you. My regular's name is Itachi. The boy hates his family to pieces, except his brother that is. What's your regular's name again, Kakuzu?" Kisame looked over to the now seemingly irritated stitch man.

"His name is Hidan. He's a complete masochist, sadist, and a religious freak all in one! The idiot thinks his god wants him to kill people and stab himself. Of course, I guess he's not as bad as Zetsu's regular…"

"Now that is a good example why you don't get to used to or attached to a regular."

"Who's Zetsu?" Sasori asked still interested.

"You're his replacement," Kisame started. "He was a good guy half the time, but had a split personality disorder that caused him to be edgy sometimes. His regular's name was Tobi, and boy was he a crazy one. Loudest person I've ever heard, and the most hyper. But one day, Zetsu just snapped and told Tobi to go jump off a bridge…" The half shark man sighed and rubbed the back of his head at the memory that itched with clarity.

Sasori, on the other hand, chuckled bitterly. He thought he would do something similar if the stress piled on him to high.

"Oh, its not something to laugh about. The little bastard actually jumped off a bridge!" Kakuzu's eyes widen with a new serious tone, making Sasori raise an eyebrow. Who was crazy enough to jump off a bridge?

"Yeah… He jumped off the one in Echo Park. The big old wooden one with the river running under it, ya know? The rumor is that's where they shoot off the fireworks for the summer festival every year. Anyway, the little sucker somehow managed to live, with only a slight concussion and a bump on his head. Of course Zetsu was fired either way." The shark man sighed and drank the rest of his water. Apparently this was a gloomy memory to touch upon. But Sasori didn't see why. Was this Zetsu just a good friend, or was there something else that bothered him?

"All the same, it's a good example not to get to close to your regular." The stitch man summarized while throwing away his cup. It seemed to be a touchy memory for him also.

Sasori took notice of both of his co-workers moods and decided to change the subject.

"So, if he does call back…? What do I say?"

"Aww, that's an easy one, I usually ask how Itachi's day went and if he's gettin' any better. But we better sit down, our shift already started and you don't want to miss his call!" Kisame gave a slap to Sasori's back as if to encourage him, when the only thing it did do was knock the remaining sips of water out of his plastic cup.

Looking down at the now empty container, he threw it away in a small trash basket. Seeing how his shift had officially started, he walked over to his desk and sat down in the chair. It was only 10:06, and he remembered the brat called after 10:30, which meant he wouldn't call until at least then. If he did call at all that is…

Being bored as he was, Sasori pulled out his laptop to pass the time. Though he didn't find many things entertaining on the internet such as games, blogs or chat rooms; he did like to find out little facts and read the news. He never did find technology suiting, he was more old fashioned in his manner. In fact, the only machines he had fully gotten used and attached to was weaponry. Not only was he used to it from his childhood, but it was also necessary to have protection in a city this dangerous at night…

Time passed with the internet not applying for a well enough distraction. And much to his own annoyance, his eyes kept drifting over to the phone. Sasori kept telling himself that he wasn't hoping the brat would call. Not only because it wasn't a good thing to be calling him, but also because he also didn't care. Or at least, that's what he told himself. Truth be told, deep in his mind, he was afraid that he might push the kid over the edge to where he might actually kill himself. It seemed his co-worker's teasing had to gotten to him.

Vaguely, Sasori recognized a phone ringing in the back round, and Kakuzu being the one to answer.

"Hey, Sasori!" The stitch man yelled to him not far off.

Leaning back in his chair so he could see around the wall, the redhead saw his co-worker also leaning back in his own chair, his hand covering the bottom of the phone.

"There's some kid on the phone named Deidara, he's asking for the guy with the robot voice. That wouldn't be you would it?" Kakuzu said while raising a very amused eyebrow.

Remembering the very beginning of his conversation with the teen the night before, he could feel the sweat drop of irk go down his neck as he grit his teeth.

"Just connect him to my line Kakuzu…" Sasori pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned forward once again, getting in return a chuckling response.

"Whatever you say Sasori."

Distinctly hearing a click of a button from across the room, Sasori's eyes darted to his own phone. The little red light at the top the corner of the machine started to blink, along with it a sound that announced it's caller.

_RING! RING! RING! _

Sasori pressed a button and picked up the dial. "Hello?" Was the first thing he heard.

"Deidara, right?"

"Un."

"'Guy with the robot voice'?"

"You didn't tell me your name yesterday. Sorry, un…"

"Its fine. Ah… How was your day?" The words felt so strange coming out of his mouth. Sasori was also not the most social being in the world. He usually stuck with himself and talked to few, finding it very easy to stay out of inconvenient situations and mindless interaction. Thus, simplifying his life by far.

"My day? I guess the same as it usually is, un."

Sasori let out a rough breath and calmed himself before speaking again. "How am I supposed to know what your 'usual' is?"

"Oh, I guess your right… Well, I got up, went to school and came home to my mom's house."

"That's right, your parents are divorced?"

"Both of them remarried a long time ago."

"What are your step parents like?" The redhead thought he caught a break as to why the teen was depressed. He hadn't had any luck the night before, so maybe this was it.

"The man my mom remarried doesn't mind me at all. They just basically let me do whatever I want. And my dad actually is remarried to mayor of the city."

This had actually caught Sasori's attention. There were many rumors about the mayor, and many of them could not be considered decent. People whispered and said that she was in on many of the gang robberies and thefts, then took in a percentage of their profits for letting them roam the city. Some even said she was into sex slave and drug trade in and outside the city limits. There were indeed many things about her that were not trustworthy.

Could she be the one to cause Deidara's depression?

"But I don't visit my dad often, maybe once a month, un. But she's always nice to me, I guess I like her."

And there went Sasori's theory…

"I see. Do you have anything weird about you?" Sasori went out on a limb. While he was on the computer, he looked up some facts about suicide. Finding that sometimes people just disliked who they are, making them depressed. So maybe this was it…?

"You don't need to know anything like that, un…"

Bingo. Sasori smiled in triumph, he had figured it out. Now all he needed to do was get the kid to stop being mellowdramatic.

"It's not a big deal… I've had it all my life, I was born with it, un."

Sasori was getting more and more hints as this conversation went along. The so far possibilities were an illness, disability, or mutation. And in Sasori's head, things started to make sense. He remembered a kid in his middle school that had a disability and had a lot of friends. So it would make sense. The only thing he needed now, was confirmation.

"Are you disabled?" Sasori said, not being being subtle about the question at all; he always found it faster to get to the point.

"What? No! Why would you think that, hn?" Deidara suddenly yelled in his ear, making Sasori nearly jump out of his skin and Kisame chuckle on the other side of the wall that separated them.

Sasori slammed his fist against the thin siding, hard enough to leave a mark, and to tell Kisame to shut it.

"What was that?" Deidara asked hearing the noise through the line.

"Sushi." Sasori growled at the blue man that was looking around the small wall with a smirk.

"I see, un…"

"Why don't you tell me about your day in detail?"

"Um, alright…" The teen seemed now seemed shier than he was before, but he continued none the less.

While Deidara talked about his day, Sasori actually found out a lot about the brat on the other end. He told about his classes and teachers, along with some of his friends. And somewhere along the way, Deidara mentioned that there was a new art exhibit he wanted to go see that was opening up in the down town museum, but it was during school.

When he was done, he asked a question that Sasori never expected.

"What about your day, hn? How was yours?"

This surprised him. Wasn't it he that was supposed to be asking the questions and him answering them?

"I'm not sure that's part of my job to talk about myself, and since I'm already bad at it, I don't think so."

"Who said you were bad at your job?"

"You did."

"Oh, yeah… Well you said this was only temporary, so you shouldn't worry."

Sasori again felt the sweat drop of irk. Of course it was easy for him to say, he was the one that was depressed. But Sasori, he was the one being relied on. If anything happened to the kid, it could come back around and be his fault if he did kill himself. So of course the kid wasn't worried.

"Hey, I don't have a watch or clock with me, so can you tell me what time it is?" Deidara asked, now sounding a little worried with a shaky tone.

Sasori flipped open his laptop to see that it was 12:15, already past his shift. Soundlessly moving around to close his computer and put it in his bag, he also slid his jacket over his shoulders. Then looking around the now dark area that was the fifty-third floor, he noticed that both of his co-workers had already left. Mentally noting that he would have to go through more teasing for staying late to talk to Deidara, he locked the three doors that consisted of a small lounge, storage and bathroom. It was their rule of whoever stayed the latest, had to lock up.

Blankly feeling beyond his limits, Sasori picked up the phone again, not sure how to tell the kid that he had to leave.

"It's a quarter past midnight."

"That late, un? I have to go, but… I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow?" With his voice sounding uncertain, it seemed Sasori had gotten a regular.

Feeling half hearted, he smirked.

"I guess so."

"See ya." The dial tone then sounded, the teen on the other end was gone.


	3. Meeting?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm not sure why anyone would think I own Naruto anyways… But I also don't own the paintings listed in this chap **

**A/N: *sigh* I was bored. I had inspiration. I love to type. I'm creative. These are the things that brought you this chapter early instead of waiting till next week. But here are two key things that really pushed my decision to post early. I despise waiting and I needed the space in my files. I actually do a SasoOC story on here and three other original stories on Fiction Press (the sister site). But don't get used to this, I will usually post only once a week, unless it's a fairly long chapter. **

**Please Enjoy,**

**Your writing fool: Teiden~ **

DAY 3 - WENSDAY - 10:47 A.M.

Sasori was usually in a better mood during the day. Seeing how it was safer to walk about the streets, and there was still the last bit of good whether about this time of year. Though it was cloudy and slightly humid, Sasori didn't mind. He remembered with good clarity that the brat had mentioned a new exhibit was opening up at the down town art museum. As much as he hated to go to the down town area, he hadn't been to that certain museum for a while, so he thought he might as well go take a look around.

It was a long walk to where he was going, but he had his reasons for not taking the subway or the taxi service. The first was because they were both absolutely filthy, and the people weren't much better. The second was that there had been two people raped, both a man and woman, by an unknown taxi driver a week ago. Along with that, there had been three trains taken hostage, all at different times last month. Eight people were killed in the last take over, and he really wasn't in the mood to die. So, he walked where ever he went.

Now finally in the down town area, he could see characters he didn't wish to interact with. Moving faster to a brisk walk, he saw the building. There actually seemed to be quite a few people there. For the new exhibit perhaps?

Walking up the stone steps and entering the building, it was easy to see a roped off staircase leading up to the next level. Seeing how the new exhibit wasn't open yet, he decided to look around.

The first room he entered had many gothic style paints.

There was a queen wearing the richest red fabrics imaginable with a gold crown on her head that was covered in gems of every kind. Her hair was black and was flowing out like waves, mixing with the veil that covered her back. Behind her was a man holding a knife to her throat. He was wearing a dark cloak that faded into the swallowing night behind them. Both the man and queen were smiling.

The title was called 'Loyal Deceiver' and the description was: Never trust whoever turns a blind eye to the truth.

Leaning to his right to see the painting at a different angle, the redhead's elbow bumped into someone.

"Sorry," he looked to see who he bumped into; surprised at who he saw.

The person he nudged was a boy in his late teens. He had long blonde hair that covered one eye and had a small ponytail at the top of his head. His eyes were a blue-green that was surrounded by black eyeliner. The cloths he wore was a black hooded jacket that was zipped up all the way up with dark baggy cargo pants. Taking a small notice to his hands, for he was holding a grey and black backpack in his grasp, the boy also had fingerless gloves on.

"Sorry…" The boy started to back away with an apologetic look on his face.

What at first had astonished Sasori was the fact that a teenager was roaming the city, when the high school didn't even let out 'til two. But the next thing that surprised him was the way the boy was acting. Usually, Sasori saw teenagers now a days become more rebellious, and in this city; become criminals if they were unlucky. So it was odd to see a strong looking boy acting so shy.

"Attention to all guests, the new submitted art gallery is open."

All eyes turned to the roped off stair that was now being filled with curious art fanatics.

Starting toward the stairway, Sasori turned around to see the boy standing in the same spot he had left him. Sighing, the redhead pulled at the teens jacket, making the boy turn to him with dull eyes.

"You didn't skip school just to stand here did you?" Was all the words Sasori would offer, still leaving the teen opened mouth.

Turning back to go up the staircase with the crowd, the boy followed. When at the top, he was staggered to see so many people interested in the exhibit.

"I wonder why so many people came, it's not everyday in this city that people are interested in art." He spoke to himself, not expecting an answer. But the boy stepped up beside him.

"All the works here… Were made by people in the city. They're probably curious, un…" The boy's voice was solemn and quiet, definitely not like an ordinary teenager's, but the blonde then trailed away into the mix.

Sasori rolled his eyes to the sky. "Another teen wanting attention, but did he just say… 'un'?"

Ignoring the small encounter, he continued to look around at the works, happily surprised to see some fairly professional pieces. If what the teen had said was true, then there were some artist in the city he didn't know and had some very good talent. Of course, this was entirely possible, the city had been over populated for years and its crime rates were growing with its people. So it was only natural for people with talent to fall into the newcomer blend.

The redhead artist browsed the artworks for about an hour and a half. It seemed the entire second floor was covered with donated works. But there was one that defiantly seemed to catch Sasori's eye.

The painting was of two angels. One angel had black wings and seemed to have fallen, because instead of legs, the torso was connected to a small tree coming out of the ground. The other angel had white wings, and was free from the earth. Both angels were embracing each other as it rained. You couldn't tell the gender of either angel because their hair covered their faces, and their huge wings hid their silhouettes well.

Sasori found it a very simple and yet a dark concept to grasp from the picture.

"You have a good eye sir." A man in a suit came over to him with a hand ready to shake. Sasori only stared at the man and declined his hand. "Well, all our paintings are on sale today. Half the money will go to the owner and the other half will go to this fine building's fund. Would you like to make a purchase?"

"Maybe, if it was an original."

"Of course it's original! Why would it not be? I'll have you know the artist that created this is a professional. They just finished it days ago before this showing. How could you say other wise?"

Sasori smirked at the man as wandering eyes drifted over toward them. "This is not an original. First of all, there is no signature on the frame or the painting itself. Second," He ran his finger tips over the exterior of the captured colors. "This looks to be done with oil paints, and this canvas is to rough for such a delicate paint. Not to mention," the redhead took in a deep breath as the growing crowd surrounded the two men. "If it was still a freshly done piece, you would be able to smell the paint itself, or better yet the varnish. Next time you try to sell a painting, make sure it's real."

He then walked away with a victorious grin, knowing he had caused a small show.

Being conscious of the time, Sasori decided to get a move on; he stepped slightly faster around the exhibit. He still had to go to the library to get his requested books, and if he had time, get some coffee. After that, he'd be pushing dark. And the only fools out at night in the down town area, were ones with death wishes.

Now feeling as if he had saw everything that was worth seeing, Sasori started walking back to the stairs. Though on the way, he passed the sculptures area, and he couldn't help but notice the blonde teen from before. He was standing in front of little figure that looked like a glass doll. From the backpack he was holding earlier, came a small drawstring pouch. Then pulling off his finger gloves, a tongue suddenly coming out of the palm of his hand.

Sasori's eyes grew slightly as he watched the teenager. In both bewilderment and curiosity; he edge further into the room, careful not to make any noise.

The teen stuck his hand inside the little pouch, his eyes not moving from the glass doll. Now slowly moving his hand out of the bag; it seemed like a mouth was chewing the contents that was inside the small cloth wrappings. The tongue spit out the substance and his fingers went to work. Skilled movement made with the tips of his fingers, Sasori was now close enough to see that it was clay the teen had at hand. Quickly cupping the wet earth in his hand, the other stared the glass doll down, as if to make sure it hadn't changed.

Only when he seemed certain of something did he raise his hand, showing a perfect copy of the glass doll. Right down to the lace pattern on the dress and the streaks in the hair. It was a perfect replica except for the applied color. And the fact that this blonde teen had done such a perfect copy in a matter of seconds, stunned Sasori even more. Watching the teen's face, the redhead could tell he was proud of his work. But in a split second, the face of serene happiness suddenly turned to bitter despair, for he now had a weak glare with hollow eyes toward the little figure.

The blonde teen, now seeming tired and deflated, squished the little clay doll into its original uncertain form.

Sasori walked out of the room without a glance back. He no longer cared to silence his footsteps on the wooden floor, nor did he take the time to look at the other statues or figures. He just had a feeling that it was time to leave. Down the stairs, out the foyer and into the open streets of the day. He was now again in the full view of the busy world. Strangers passing, cars honking, yelling from above and sights set for the haven that was the library. Sasori had one question wrapped around his brain.

"Was that Deidara?"

The facts were very compelling. The brat was the one who told him about the new exhibit in the first place. The teen that he saw had a backpack with him, meaning he could of very well have skipped school and come to the art museum. He also wasn't acting like a normal teenager by far, it _could_ almost be described as depressed if he had observed more. Along with that, he remembered the brat had said he had won a few awards for his clay sculptors, and the copied figure that he saw the blonde make was definitely made with trained hands. It could of very well have been his regular.

Even in his mind, Sasori was going back and for between simple coincidence or straight fact. Sighing, he knew the only way to know for sure was to ask that night, when his regular called. Going through the possibilities that could possibly happen if he worded it wrong, like the disabled question, he decided it was worth. He would ask, only this time, he would be careful with his wording to not create a misunderstanding.

After all, he would already have to apologize for thinking the kid was a cripple, when it was obvious he had mouth hands…


	4. Playing Coy

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of this people… So… yeah. The plot is mine… But that's about it. =.= **

**A/N: So many reviews… And just for three chapters… You guys are awesome! *gives pocky to the good little reviewers and readers* All us SasoDei fans need to stick together because just cause they are 'gone' does not mean they are gone in are hearts where we are obsessed with yaoi! (For those of you that read the manga, you should know why I put the little quotations around the word gone :3) But thanks guys! I'm so happy you love what I write and I could never have imagined that everyone would like it so much. **

**Reviews are always welcomed and are read. I appreciate you opinions, praise and encouragement. It makes me feel nice and refreshed to hear someone's criticism though, so don't hold back! If you visited my profile (I don't care if you do or don't, its pretty basic and boring :P) but my main goal is to make the reader feel an emotion. That maybe kinda hard to do in the first couple chaps but please tell me if you do feel something!**

**Anyways, here's your new chap. I'll just stop talk so you can get reading!**

DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY – 10:32 P.M.

Things were not going well on Sasori's end. It was only one minute into the conversation and he was already losing in the game of support. The brat had called only a few seconds earlier, said hello and hadn't said anything else since then. Noticing the attitude the teen was in, Sasori became even more weary to the fact that Deidara may be getting worse, and not better as he was supposed to be. Though, Sasori noted in his head, for the person to get better, he would have to talk to him, instead of being in this dead silence. Knowing the pro's and con's of the redhead's straight forward nature, he decided it was worth taking a chance, just to break the ice.

"I went to that exhibit you mentioned yesterday, it turns out it was all donated works from around the city."

"Really…? Anything worth seeing, un?" The voice on the other end was soft and had a strange tint to it, as if the brat didn't have a care to subject. Ignoring this, Sasori continued where he left off, adding more strength to his words.

"There were some interesting pieces, even though not all of them seemed to be authentic. I don't prefer to go down town that often, but I needed to pick up some books and there is a good café I know down there, so it fit into my schedule to visit the museum. Did you get a chance to visit?"

"No." The brat's tone suddenly turned a few notches for emphasis. But seeing how he got a reaction, the redhead perused further.

"There was actually a sculptures area. You said you preferred clay, yes? I would think you'd be interested in that at least."

"School gets out at two-thirty and the bus ride to there to my mom's house is only forty minuets, un. But since I'm staying at my dad's for next couple of days, it takes an hour and a half by bus. The museum closes at exactly four on week days. There would be no way for me to get there before closing, un." Deidara was now more confident in his wording also. Though it was lacking in emotion, there definitely was some defense behind it.

"I see…" Sasori took a step into the known and relaxed his body as he prepared for the impact. It was not like him and his calm composure to pry into the life of others, but this was indeed a special case with tricky matters that needed to be treated with careful hands. One wrong move and a death could unintentionally end up on his door step again, and Sasori was already balancing on wires, he couldn't afford to be so careless. So, he worded everything to his mind's liking before he spoke this time.

"There was actually a teenager I saw there," he continued. "They also seemed to still be a student since they were carrying a back pack around. So you wouldn't have been alone if you skipped school."

"…" The line became void of sound except for a few small sounds of movement. It seemed like the brat was changing location to hold this conversation, for he could now hear feet going up stairs, a door shut, and then a few more moments of silence 'til the redhead heard squeaks that must have been from springs.

"Sorry… My step mom says that no one is allowed to use any type of phone in the house, un…"

"Hn, brat, are you sure-"

"Why do you always call me 'brat'?" The teen quickly changed the subject. "I told you my name didn't I? It's Deidara, un."

"You usually act like a brat. Do you prefer kid?"

"And how come you never told me your name? That's not very fair…" He continued in his small rant with a softer voice, as if he didn't have much energy to spare.

This was a very good thing to notice. Kisame and Kakuzu said to watch for mood swings and how much energy a regular has. Anger, sadness and insane filled actions were something to be careful of, but when a regular is suddenly happy and seems calmer after a long period of depression, that's when you had to watch out. Because more signs of depression were not eating, loss of enthusiasm and over sleeping were very common, it would make sense they wouldn't actually kill themselves, especially when they didn't even have enough energy to carry on with life. Its only when they do seem to be full of good spirits that you should be worried.

Knowing these facts, it made the redhead's job easier to know what to watch out for and how to handle it.

"I don't see the point of you knowing my name." Was his response to the teen on the other end.

"There's a very good point… It helps me know that you're a real person…"

He just had to say that…

Sasori covered the phone with his hand and let out a gruff sigh of frustration. Now leaning back over his chair, he saw Kisame around the small wall. He was talking on the phone with who Sasori expected to be Itachi, his blue co-worker's regular. Tapping on the thin wall to grab the other's attention, Kisame covered his phone also, and looked at the artist.

"Is it alright for a regular to know your name?"

"I guess. Me and Kakuzu told our regular's our names. It can't do no harm I guess." The blue man shrugged with a single laugh and went back to his chatter, leaving the artist hanging on a choice with a few quick seconds of though.

Relaxing slightly, Sasori did the same.

"Do you really want to know my name?"

"It would put us on even playing grounds. And it would make me feel more comfortable to call you by your name instead of nothing at all, un."

"Fine, my name is Aksuna Sasori."

There was a pause.

"Sasori… That sounds familiar, un…"

"Is there something wrong with my name?" To accompany his own nuisance, both of his index fingers started to twitch with sudden anxiety. He knew very well that it was his own thoughts of his past that made his digits click, and that it had nothing to do with the brat on the other end. But, just the littlest push at apprehension, and his guard was up like a steel wall, ready to go to wits end to protect its core.

"I may have heard of it… Before."

"Impossible."

"You said you were an artist right?"

"Yes. What does that have to do with my name?" Sasori snipped his sentences now, but his regular didn't seem to notice his sudden change in manner.

"Sasori… That's it! You made Hiruko!" Realization came with a sound level of normal quality, this surprised the redhead, for the brat knew about his favorite achievement.

"You know about Hiruko?"

"Un. I went to one of his shows and was very amazed. It was almost like a new sport."

This was an interesting statement from Deidara. For, to some extents, it almost could be a sport. His art was not just making puppets, but me made eternal marionettes of battle. The Hiruko that the brat saw was merely a finely done replica for show, while the very real and very lethal Hiruko resided at his apartment. Though the replica was filled with tricks diverse enough to please a crowd, the original was a master piece of destructive power. Poisons so toxic that it would burn your lungs if you were in a mile's radius. Knives sharp enough to split a sky scraper. Ebony smoke bombs able to suffocate and paralyze faster than any tranquilizer. His favorite puppet was always beyond the standard.

The petty show Deidara must have seen was only the replica competing in a small battle against another puppet of inferior complexity. The two puppets fought with their limited weapon stock, with fake Hiruko winning hands down by far, and now was on display at Central museum in the city.

It was nice for the teen on the other end to appreciate his work, but overall, he didn't even know the half of it.

"I see."

"Do you make other puppets like Hiruko?"

"Making puppets is my art, so of course." A sadistic smile covered his face as he remembered the few special puppets he had. The most brutal, strong, deadly puppets came with the most pain, blood and sacrifice he had ever created, for himself, and others. But nothing is created out of a nothing.

"I get it… But… That thing wasn't very hansom, un…" The teen's voice was soft and now almost reserved again. The change was just as quick and noticeable as the last one, the mood swing list now going from drained, to normal and then to a timid state. Interesting…

"Its not supposed to be for show, its supposed to last forever, throughout time, and still be strong."

"I don't see the point, art is fleeting, un…"

"No brat, what would be the point of something that disappears as soon as its born? Art is everlasting, art is eternal."

"It wouldn't disappear, it would be remembered."

"But you would never be able to see it ever again, never to admire all the work and beauty. Then what?"

"Then you would get the viewers attention even more, because they would want to see the beauty, but never be able to… I have to go, I'm already pushing it staying on the phone this late, un… Fleeting!" The dial tone sounded and he was tricked yet again by the teen. Sighing with now an abundance of irritation, he let the phone fall back on the charger.

"Fool me once, shame on you… Fool me twice? Shame on me." The redhead mumbled under his breath.

It was half passed midnight, with a odd note stuck to the thin wall that separated him from his other co-worker's areas. The note read as followed:

'Sasori-

I noticed how much fun you were having talkin' to your new regular, so I locked up for ya. Have a good night.

-Kisame'

It wasn't until that second that the redhead noticed that he had been carelessly fallen into the brat's ploy so he could avoid the very question Sasori wanted to ask in the first place. Clever.

"Well played, Deidara." He smirked, and started to gather his things for home.

DAY 5 – FRIDAY – 9:30 A.M.

The sun should have been up, but the clouds covered the sky like a dull face. It wasn't that dark, but on the horizon, a sea of storms, thunder and lightning were only miles away. It was going to rain, if not in the afternoon, but in the evening for sure.

The wind teasing with his messy red curls, he was ready to set off. With his long sleeved trench coat flowing out, its collar was pulled up against the wind to protect him from the wind. An umbrella in hand for when he would return to his quiet home, he was ready for the day and anything that nature could press him with.

His day was filled with errands to run and things to do. It was going to be a long day. But not as long as the night before when the brat hadn't called, keeping his promise and leaving Sasori bored all night to deal with his co-worker's teasing. It wasn't the best night, and the day didn't guarantee much either. Though, there was going to be one good thing, he was going to be alone with whatever peace the city had to offer, and he was definitely going to take advantage that.


	5. Less than a Deity

**DISCLAIMER: Don't. Own. Naruto! *raises fist the heavens in anger!***

**A/N: Damn it! Giving you guys a chapter only days after the last post AND this is the longest one yet, even though its still not every long as you guys want, but its a process of getting longer as you go! I'm to nice... *sigh* But guess what…? You get to see some stuff from Deidara's point of view for the first time! Ain't I great? Any who's, this way you can see into Deidara's life quickly, plus I know a lot of you are curious as to why he's depressed. So maybe this will help you figure it out, neh? **

**Hope you guys enjoyed the last chap and how the story is progressing. I know the chapters are short, but this works with my schedule and I've been keeping them comin' at a decent rate. So no one be on my ass!**

**And I have to thank you all for getting through my little mistakes I'm not able to catch by myself. So thats real kind of you to get through all that!**

**Now… Here is your new chapter!**

**From your insane writer-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 4 – THURSDAY – 7:15 A.M.

Deidara knew how his day was going to be, right down to things people would say. He was walking down the street, his school in sight. It was filled with every stereo type you could think of. However, at the top, was him, cold and alone.

First was his locker. As he walked down the hall filled with both early birds and half-conscious students, all eyes turned to him at least once. Even when he stood still, gathering books and putting away his bag, each pair of eyes looked with their own emotion, but were always accompanied with a grin. This was to be expected.

Next was first period English. The blonde sat in the back, against the seating chart knowing that he would not be yelled at, even though he wished for it. As he sat down in his solitary space, the students around him moved away, all with smiles and giggles. Another prediction that wasn't hard to make.

Taking the liberty that was his only right, he listened to the closest group of people, which just happened to be a group of girls chatting.

"So is your party tonight?"

"No, its tomorrow night."

"Who all is coming?"

"Everyone that's cool of course!"

"Even Deidara? That would make it the best party ever!"

"Ssh! He's right there…"

"Idiots, Deidara is to cool to come to my party."

He stopped at that. Those words… They made him so cold that his mind burned and festered in endless torment. He had heard those words for years now. He had done nothing to deserve such words. The only reason he got such disgusting praise was because of his late brother and sister. These people, his disturbed classmates and even feeble teachers and supervisors, had given him the place of a king, all because of the death of his kin, and his father's remarriage to the mayor of the city.

First period moved fast along with second and third. Not a soul spoke to him at those times. But when forth period rolled in, a small hope made his heart jump. It was time for AP Physics, and this was the day everyone was supposed to get his or her finals back. He wanted to be graded fairly for once. Just one time, he wanted to know he got what he deserved. And knowing he put: 'Fuck you give me an F', for every answer, he knew he _should_ fail with flying colors, but he could only hope…

Deidara took his seat as the bell wrung, watching the faces of the other students turn to fear as the teacher smirked at them. Standing with the papers in hand, the educator handed them out with an expression so devious that most of the kids looked down. Noticing a certain swagger in the satisfied teacher's step, his paper was placed face down on his desk.

Flipping it over, his hope was diminished with one single glance.

It wasn't even his paper. It looked more like an answer key with his name on it and every single answer printed correctly on the lines.

The neat black stains blurred on the pure white as he saw the big 'A' printed on the top corner of his paper. It was printed in an ugly yellow and stood out disgustingly against the plain simplicity of the paper itself. He was now to the point of screaming until he cracked every window in the building. He had done nothing! He deserved _nothing_! There seemed to be no one on the planet that could stand him equal. Everyone he knew just let him rise without a care, and let him rot at the summit.

He couldn't take this much longer. His breaking point was so close, the only thing that was keeping him from ending it all at that very second, was his small conscious that had managed to survive throughout all these years of his weakened sanity. The antagonism, desolation and seclusion the world had put him through, was only the start of it all. Because for the blonde, there were only beginnings.

For he had planed it all so carefully, his demise, which would be the greatest beginning of all…

Fifth and sixth period were only a vague impression in his memory. He was now at lunch, sitting at the top of his table that was filled with the 'highest' seniors in school. There was eight of them including himself along with his 'girlfriend' that was a cheerleading and track all star. But she was really only a drama filled bitch that liked to use him as an excuse to say that she got laid all the time, when in truth, he would never dare touch a slut such as herself.

While he sat still and bored, about to snap on the inside and uncaring on the outside, this was the only thing he did the entire time, and that was listen.

"So, who's party are we gonna crash tonight?"

"Doesn't matter! Long as I break my record and fuck more than three bitches in one night."

"You said you would stop doing that and only screw me!"

"Who the hell cares ya skank? Your nothin but an easy lay."

"What!"

"It wont matter, he'll end up drunk on the front lawn anyway."

"True…"

"Who says I'll get drunk!"

"You've passed out at the last two parties, and you've already been arrested four times this year."

"What's your point?"

The conversation continued on this pointless topic. Deidara knew the boy was a party animal and had an IQ of seventeen; there would be no way for anyone to convince him the correct point of view.

"Oh stop being a dumbshit!" A voice so sharp and unpleasant shouted so much like a banshee, that half the cafeteria froze for a moment. This was Brie, his 'girlfriend'.

"What really matters," she swung her hips to straddle the his lap. "Is if Deidara is going." Her nails toyed with his hair, twisting a strand and licking the tips as if to be sexy.

The people he sat with, the seven 'highest' people in school, were the only people in the world he could say he hated. They all had money, and everything they could possibly ask for. All of them being 'Daddy's Girls' and 'Country Club Men' had nothing to do with the reason he detested them. It was because out of all the people in the school that saw him as a king, they were the only ones that knew he was merely a figure. Something to keep the public happy; that was what he was.

That was why he hated them. And at the top of that hatred list, was Brie.

"Now, Deidara~! I know those pathetic parties are _below_ you but…" She put on a pout. "I could always give you a nice long secession to distract you." She slipped her hands under his shirt and jacket to feel the skin around his waist, making him shiver in repulsion.

"Quick secession my ass! Those hands of his must be great!"

"True. He could give three blow jobs at the same time."

"That's… Really creepy for you guys to think that way…"

"Whatever!"

"She does have point, he may not even have control over those things."

"Yeah, you might get your dick bit off!"

The girls of the table started to laugh except for Brie.

"So what about it bitchy? He any good in bed?"

"Oh, he's amazing in bed, especially those hands of his! But usually, I have to watch out for this mouth." She placed her left index finger on his own mouth, creating a mass laugh from around the table.

Though he had the urge to bight off her finger and let the bloody digit fall to the floor with a soft pat, only to leave the girl in his lap screaming for all hell… He had a better idea.

While they all laughed, his arm snaked around her waist, this palm landed on her bony ass hip. This was something else that was easy to predict. He could tell the mouth on his hand gave a fast wet lick, making Brie's eyes open wide, but she wasn't swift enough to look down before the teeth bit down, hard.

There was a sound. He thought maybe only he could hear it, but he knew it was there either way. The sound, it was a crack. This sound, it was filled with agony and pain that could easily make many ears flinch. However, for him, it was the most pleasurable reverberation he had heard all day. But the best part he knew to be, was the scream that followed it.

Brie screamed and jumped out of his lap in sudden shock.

This scream was blood curdling and was filled with nothing but excruciating pain that boomed out. The whole world stood still as she let out the retched noise that was both attention grabbing and worrying.

But Deidara didn't care. The worse he could of done was chip off a piece of her hip bone and make her bleed. And there was no way that could fill the empty space that was nothing but hate, no. This little revenge was not enough to fill what was hollow inside him. Not even close…

After that, he left. Leaving the whole cafeteria staring at their queen, screaming her head off in confusion. He decided he would wait in bathroom 'til lunch ended. It was for the best anyways. He wouldn't get in trouble if he roamed the halls and he couldn't stand being around those people much longer. He needed quiet to where no one could see him, and the old boy's bathroom on the first floor did just the trick. It was small with only three stalls, two sinks and a single body mirror. One of the taps dripped and two out of the three toilets didn't work. It was the perfect place to hide and wait. Though, it was completely boring to just sit around and do nothing, so he started to look in the mirror.

His half pony tail on the top of his head was perfect with not a hair our of place. His eye make up didn't have even a smudge. His dark jack didn't have a wrinkle and his pants, not a crease in sight. Lastly for inspection, his long blonde hair shined straight down his back like a mane.

They had picked the perfect king.

Without thinking, Deidara punched the mirror, shattering it.

Sometimes, he wondered how he managed to hang on to the pitiful life he had. Just in the past couple days had seemed unbearable for some reason. A big part of it had been his mom suddenly leaving for two weeks with her husband, leaving only a note explaining that they were going on vacation and two thousand dollars to survive on while they were away, it was also the reason why he was staying at his father's. And everytime the blonde did see his dad, the man would barely utter a word, making his situation increasingly more difficult to bear. In fact, the only thing he could think of that was keeping him alive for the time being was the strange talks he had with the now known Akasuna Sasori, who was also coincidentally an artist. The man was definitely not good at his job, yet, he intrigued the blonde in the way he acted.

The man, Sasori, apparently lived in the city in an apartment on the better side of town (he knew because he looked the man up after he found out). Deidara couldn't find out that much about the artist, but there were some pictures of him next Hiruko that was in the Central museum. And he was surprised to find out the man was so young. But something was bothering him about this master puppeteer, as he was called; he had met him before. The day the blonde had skipped school to go the exhibit, he had bumped into a redhead that just happened to be Sasori.

Of course it just could have been coincidence. He had told the operator about the new exhibit himself, so it became a possibility that he might also go. But what had made him nerve racked, was the fact that Sasori some how knew that he skipped school to go. They had bumped into each other for only a few seconds. So how could he had known…?

The bell wrung then, signaling him to continue the day.

He finished the endless school hours with eighth and ninth period slowly dragging on. Putting away his things and getting his bag, eyes still drifted to him and still nobody spoke to him. This was the easiest thing to expect from his day. Everyone would gaze, but no one would approach.

Leaving the school grounds, he had a long bus ride. An hour and a half was an annoyingly long time at points, mostly because of the freaks and weirdos that roamed the area, but he wasn't the most normal person either.

When the bus ride ended, he was two blocks away from his large supposed home. The walk was quick and the house itself was pretty big compared to most things you found in the city. This large building was in the deepest part of the downtown area, with the only thing separating it from the gangs and rage that controlled the city itself, was a gate. A simple iron gate that anyone could open in the day. Beyond the gate was a gravel path that Deidara currently walked on.

Knowing once he opened the door he would find his father and his wife saying their goodbye's in their own ways, he didn't let that stop him from entering.

"You shouldn't do that! We are about to go to work!" A man's laugh sounded first.

"Oh being late cause of a little play wont hurt you." A woman's giggle next.

"Fine, but-! Oh… Deidara." His father finally looked at him as he stepped into the entrance hall.

"Hey Dei-D-Dei." His step mother greeted him while hanging on to his father.

"How was your day?" His father asked while softly pushing his pouting wife off of him and then straightening his tie.

"As predictable as the last, un." Was his curt response that he had been using for the last three years.

"Aww, Dei-D-Dei." His step mother started to walk over to him with her usual swinging hips. Since he was pretty tall for his age, the woman was only taller than him by centimeters because of her red high heels that were supposed to match her short red and gray dress. "Why are you always so glum, hm? You're strong and hansom and already nineteen! I would be partying before you head off to our wonderful community college in this lovely city I take such good care of. So why not stop and smell the roses?" She lightly put her hand on his cheek and her thumb on his chin, intentionally giving a purr to follow the gesture.

Deidara never really minded his step mother, she was even kind enough to stop and talk to him every now and then. The only problem she had was she didn't know when to stop flirting.

"Such a beauty you are… I could just _slurp _you up." She grinned her seductive smile with half-lidded eyes that gleamed with play.

"Hey, hey, hey! The only person your aloud to slurp is me, Itazura!" His father came up behind them and pulled his flirtatious step mother off. They kissed in French and then turned back to him quickly.

"Well, Dei-D-Dei, maybe we can play later. But mommy and daddy need to go to work now. Play nice with the servants and don't get into trouble." Itazura, his step mother, winked and walked out the open door, his father following without saying a word.

The day had been long and as humdrum as he expected. Nothing new had happened, nothing changed. The life that he hated was still the same, and the emotions of high solitude still rested heavily on his heart. He couldn't end it, not yet at least, and he couldn't call the strange artist that had become his inexperienced operator. Deidara did know where the man lived, but he knew it would be wrong to show up at someone's home he didn't even know. And what could he expect if he did?

Being drained of life and soul, he headed up to the third level where the blonde's room was at the end of the hall. It was big and basic but was filled with things that kept him slightly sane. A radio, paints, a bed and wet clay. Those few things were the only inhabitants of this area that was entirely his, and that was just the way he like it.

The house was vacant except for his existence, so he could relax. His fake character couldn't show if there was no one to see, so that was one reward for being alone. With no eyes to gaze, no whispers to hear and no one to avoid him, this place was his only solace.

Flopping down on his bed, he could suddenly feel the serious exhaustion level he was at. His eyes drooping and his limbs going to a small state of numb, he fell asleep…

Something was wrong.

He knew he was in his room, but there were other beings there also. He could sense the out of place feeling to the space that was his, that's how he knew. Counting, he could tell there was at least five of them, all intruders. Because of this, his body stilled. Breathing light and slow, not a muscle moved, nor did a finger twitch. This was his only defense.

Mumbles started along with harsh low voices as replies.

"Fuck this! You cant keep us waiting for forever!" A deep voice erupted out, but he still didn't move.

"You can let him sleep. There's no problem in waiting." A familiar voice spoke now, but Deidara didn't dare think to hard about it, afraid that he would lose his concentration of not moving.

"The hell there's a problem. We have a dead line and you have a debt!"

"Its not like your little boss won't be satisfied."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that Ojou-sama. I can tell everyone will be satisfied, but just because the merchandise is of high quality, does not excuse tardiness."

"Dear Uragirimono-san, you have such a way with words. Fine, you may wake him."

There was no time to act after he heard those words. Someone suddenly made the bed bounce, making him go in the air. Landing then roughly, his face was slapped and his gut was punched. Cheek now burning and gut now screaming, he was raised by his collar.

"Open your eyes wimp!" A voice, loud and booming, shouted in his ear, making his eyes shoot wide. There were five figures in his dark room. Two stood in the back by the door, becoming inconspicuous to the mind. But, from the light of his moon lit window, he could see an ugly man with muscles the size of his head holding him up. On his left was a smaller, more hansom man, that had a small grin with lazy eyes. Lastly, on the large man's right was a woman's silhouette, but her face was left out of the small amount of light given.

"My my, you have such stunning gems! And you say he's a virgin?" The hansom man came closer to him with his small smile that was deceivingly warm.

"I'm pretty sure. He's always been the popular type, but he's definitely not a man whore either." This time the woman spoke, and now he could recognize her clearly.

"Itazura, un?" He squinted his eyes against the dark, only to have his other cheek slapped.

"Shut it!"

"Hey, Dei-D-Dei." The woman stepped into the light's range, it really was his step mother. "Sorry we couldn't play. But now it seems your gonna be someone else's toy…" She sighed. "Will you give your mommy a smile before you leave?"

He showed nothing; already being hollow, he had nothing to give.

She sighed again. "Alright then, take him away. But Dei-D-Dei, I think this will be good for you. It'll be a change from your depressing life, and it would of never ended anyway. I'm running for governor you know."

This made the blonde's eyes widen. This life, the way it was, would of never ended. Even if he would of gone to college, it would of never stopped…

"Sayonara, Dei-D-Dei."

Before everything went black, and his senses drop, one bitter smile came to his lips. It looked like he couldn't predict everything after all…


	6. A Finding

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto. No, really, I don't own it. Don't believe me? Then fine, don't take my word for it!**

**A/N: I've decided! That I'm going to screw the idea of a schedule and just type, edit, post when I can! Cause in a few weeks, I'm going to be doing band camp (yes, I play alto saxophone with a bunch of perv guys XP) so I guess I'm gonna make up for my possible slowness in the future now…!**

**That makes sense right…? I hope so… *sigh* And it's best for me to type while I still have it all in my head. I actually have the next few chapters already planned and all that I need to do is type and edit, but you guys have no idea how long it takes me to edit because of my crazy OCD! But some action and bonding is coming up so be aware of that and don't give up on me yet, cause I know there's quite a few of you out there who like this story and I only want to make it better!**

**Quick suggestion before you start reading! Go on youtube and type in 'Anything you can do Deidara vs. Sasori'. This video just made me smile and I found it a while ago so I thought you guys might like it! If you've never seen it, I HIGHLY suggest it.**

**FROM YOURS TRULY-**

**Teiden~ **

DAY 5 – FRIDAY – 9:56 P.M.

"Shit…" Sasori moved quickly as the rain came down. His time had been more deliberate than expected when he had set out that morning. Thunder was clapping and the sky would light seconds later, it had started raining at a steady pace two hours ago, and now him being within five blocks of his humble abode, the wind had started to pick up.

With an umbrella in his left hand, he looked at the watch on his right wrist. "I'm going to be late for work, and it's already dark with the clouds. It's going to be lovely getting down there." The redhead rolled his eyes to the sky as he felt a sudden gust blow him back with the help of his trench coat.

Around the last corner he went with a little force and he could see his apartment building only meters away. But there was something there… With debris such as wild leaves and soaked papers flying in the air, along with the rain blurring his vision, all he could see was a gray and gold figure laying in front of the apartment building steps. Moving against the storm, standing right in front of the figure, he could see it was the boy from the museum.

His wet hair was in knots that stuck to his back; the pony tail on top of the teen's head was barely in. The make up that was around his eyes was now streaks of black down his cheeks and chin. The clothes he wore; his shirt being a now dirt covered white button down and black dress pants, were falling apart at the seams. But the hardest thing not to notice was the teen's eyes. They were half open with the now dull blue irises surrounded by small discolored veins.

Sasori stared with a bored expression for a while, then seeing how the boy wouldn't move and his breath was shallow, he squatted down and moved the umbrella over the both of them.

"So it was you the other day, Deidara." He spoke with his usual impenetrable gaze as the weak and pale eyes looked up to him. "Do you know who I am?"

The other's lips started to quiver and break apart, trying to speak…

"Sa… S-Saso… ri…" The frail voice was carried by the wind to his ears.

Now taking in all of the facts that had been presented in the last few seconds, his was what he concluded. His regular, Deidara, was laying before him in the rain in a sickly state, right in front of his home. Seeing how his breathing was slow and almost unnoticeable, Sasori checked the blonde's pulse by putting his thumb to his wrist. It was slow and unsteady. Putting this also into consideration, he flipped the hand over to see a tongue sticking out and almost panting; the muscle was dry as dust to touch.

Putting this all together, his conclusion was that the brat was drugged. Whether it was his own stupid doing or someone else's, the only question left was how Deidara had found his home. Being this heavily educed, he shouldn't have been able think let alone walk.

"Sa…sori-!" The blonde's breath suddenly hitch, going into a small hyperventilation. The waning stare that was the dieing blue eyes looked up to the artist with leaking desperation. Sighing, Sasori put his umbrella down and placed it in his deep coat pocket. Now sliding his hands between the gravel and wet cloth, he lifted the teen into his arms bridal style, soaking his torso thoroughly.

Carrying him inside the lobby, he felt a small relief wash over his drenched clothes, Cherry wasn't on her post in the lobby and that saved him a lot of annoying tease. Going up the two levels of stairs and to his door, he was glad that he left it unlocked during the day. Twisting the knob and moving towards his couch in the middle of the first room by memory, and laid Deidara down as genteelly as he could. After the blonde was laid out limp on his furnishings, he turned on the light by the door, hung up his coat and came back over to kneel by his regular.

"Deidara, can you understand me?"

A nod, slow and drained, was his answer.

"Listen. I'm going to make some hot tea. The heat will warm you up and the caffeine will get your blood moving again. I will be right back, do you understand? Blink twice if you do."

Fluttering at first, it seemed that it required some force and concentration to get his eyelids to move down, up, down and back up again.

He started for the kitchen then, but caught himself before going around the small wall that separated the two spaces. Coming back quickly, he took the blanket that was laying on the back of the couch and put it over the shivering frame of his regular. Now finally going into the kitchen, he took out his kettle, poured water into, turned on the stove, and set it down on the boiler as it heated itself.

It was then he noticed that his watch said half past ten.

Sighing, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number quickly.

"Hello!"

"Kisame, it's Sasori."

"Ah, Sasori! Where are ya? The weather hold'n you up or somethin'?"

"Something like that… I wont be able to come into today though."

"Eh? Oh that's right. You walk everywhere don't cha? I'll cover for you then, but what if your regular calls?"

"No need to worry about that," Sasori looked around the corner to see the figure of the teen still laying down. "I have a feeling he wont be calling."

"If you say so, see ya."

"Goodbye, Kisame."

Snapping his phone shut, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he leaned up against the counter. What was he supposed to do now? He currently had a drugged and suicidal teenager in his living room that was probably only half aware of the situation. Not to mention it was still a mystery as to how the brat got drugged and how he managed to find his apartment in such a serious state.

The sound of boiling water suddenly caught his attention, through his debating train of thought. It seemed the tea was more ready to act then him…

Only a few meters away, Deidara was starting to gain control of his own mind. Registering the space he was in and how his body felt, added up to painful confusion. Painful because his entire torso, neck and arms hurt in random places, along with an extreme soreness that pulsed up and down his backside and lower waist. On top of all that, he had a headache that made his skull feel swollen.

What had happened to him?

"Are you waking up?" A voice, the one that had been speaking to him not to long ago, was suddenly near him. Lifting his eyes up, he saw the man he knew as Akasuna Sasori. "Can you sit up?" The redhead asked down to him with unbreakable eyes.

Trying to move the lower parts of his torso, he couldn't do it, the pain was to annoyingly great…

"Un…" And a small head shake was all he could manage.

The redhead man set two steaming mugs down on the glass coffee table and put one hand on his shoulder, and the other along the middle of his back. Bracing himself on his elbows, they both managed to sit him up despite the tenderness that was his ass and lower chest. For some reason, his body was completely drained and felt like it was filled with frozen lead. Now leaning up against the arm of the couch, he let his body relax as Sasori handed him the warm mug, all the while taking one for himself and sitting down on the table.

"So you know who I am?" Sasori asked first, his voice lacking any sign of emotion.

"Un… And you know who I am?" He didn't let his head move since his neck was so stiff, but his peripheral vision aloud him a glance at the impassive face of the puppet master.

"Yes, you're the brat that somehow managed to end up on my doorstep while being drugged." The redhead let the warm steam from his cup come up and relax his eyes. The feeling was soothing and helped his brain slow to think things through.

Deidara on the other hand, was holding on to his mug with a vice grip because his hands were still numb and his brain still wouldn't work at its proper pace. So it took a moment for him to grasp the last word the elder artist spoke.

"Drugged?"

"That's my theory. Unless, you can tell me how you ended up at my door about to die of hyperventilation…" Sasori let his eyes close as he now sipped his tea leisurely.

"I… can't remember much at all, un…" Deidara looked down, he tried to sort through his foggy visions of the past, finding very few things clear.

"Alright, so what do you remember? And drink your tea brat, it will help." This time the redhead let his relaxed eyes glare. But he found this actually got results from the other, for the blonde started to gulp down the liquid, so he let his expression fall back down to blank.

Though Deidara didn't want to give up his pride, Sasori was right. He could feel his body get warmer and up to speed. His mind wasn't as foggy, but for clarity, it was still unclear. He could get the main idea though.

"I was in my room, and there was five people there… I didn't know who they were at first, un... One of them slapped and punched me so I'd wake up, he was big and I didn't really know what was happening, un…"

"What about the rest of them, the other four?"

"Two of them were back by my door... I guess so I couldn't run. Then next to the big guy was a man, they said his name but…" Deidara focused in on low whispers he heard before, but found them to be more sluggish and low in his memory.

"Name's aren't important right now. Who was the fifth person?" Sasori took a sip of his tea as he watched the blonde become more sullen. Raising an eyebrow, he waited for the younger artist to respond.

"My… step mom… was the fifth, un." His voice was quiet, but those words put the puppeteer on a level of worry.

Setting his cup down, he went into his work room and started to search through a wooden cabinet that was filled with vials of different colored liquids. After finding a certain light red one, he now opened a metal chest that was filled with tools, he pulled out a smaller plastic box that was fill with syringes. He took one out and filled it with the light red liquid, and started to ask questions with a louder voice to Deidara who was still in the other room.

"Did they say anything about your step mother that you can remember?"

"Something about… A debt I think, un." Was the blonde's answer.

"I see." Sasori finished filling the syringe with the liquid and quickly flicked the top to get any air out. He didn't want to go this far as to using the special substance, it was merely going to be as a last resort if things came to the point of need. He slipped the needle under his pants leg though, and into a special pocket that was meant for concealed carry, to reenter his living room and take his spot back on the table. "Anything else?"

"No… I blacked out after that. I think I woke once more, but everything was dark and I must have been drugged by then, un… Sasori, can I have some more tea? I'm freezing." The blonde wrapped the blanket around himself and sunk lower into the couch.

"Sure, I could go for another cup myself. Go ahead and lay down while I make it." Sasori was half way to the kitchen before he heard the brat's next words that made his eyes widen.

"Good… My back and ass hurt like hell when I'm sitting up, un."

Freezing for a second, he turned around and stood at the opposite end of the couch the teen was laying on. Seeing how he started to struggle to get settled and lay down, Sasori's new theory grew.

"Deidara, take off your clothes."

"Un…?" The blonde looked at him with eyes of uncertainty, as he stared back with an expression that was grave.

"Take off, your clothes."

"But-"

"Brat! Take off your shirt, now." His eyes narrowed, as he watched Deidara gulp and nod.

Finger's trembling, the blonde pushed of the blanket and started to unbutton his dirty white shirt. But once the first little plastic circle was undone, and the smallest little hole was given to look down his shirt, the young artist's mouth gaped. He then started moving even slower. Two more buttons came undone, and with each circle released from the fabric, the brat's face became more and more horrified.

Being impatient as he was, Sasori took two strides over to Deidara's side with a small snarl of irritation, and his own fingers started to undo the little clasps rapidly. After every little button was removed, his hand fell on the other's shoulder to pull down the muddy clothing to reveal his arms and entire chest to be covered in red marks.

Deidara didn't know how to explain how he felt except for complete fear. His thoughts were buzzing. Why and who were the main ones, but the biggest question that stood out in his brain was: how could he not remember such a thing happening to him?

Sasori lightly traced over the marks that came in a different sizes. Most of them from bites but some of them were also from nails it seemed. Along with this, Deidara's pain and the fact that he was drugged, all made his theory conclusive.

"Well Deidara, it looks like your not a virgin any more."

"Un..."


	7. Understood

**DISCLAIMER: Sorry to disappoint, but I don't own Naruto… =.='**

**A/N: I know you guys read the end of the last chapter and were like 'What the hell!' because I actually got a few not so happy messages… but come on people! The story needs to have an antagonist! Yesh, you guys think I'd let that little thing take over my story and end it? Hell no! As the saying goes! 'When a sexy redhead has a bruised blonde, they get revenge.' XD**

**What? No else says that? Oh well, still a good saying either way.**

**I actually think this chapter is kinda boring, but the next one is going to have decent build to it for the plot itself.**

**Now… Drum roll please! *drum rolls across the floor* smartass…**

**Here's your chapter 7**

**From your crazy and sadistic-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 5 – FRIDAY – 11:01 P.M.

There was a silence that was strong and heavy on the air. It was thick with truth and held a sadness that was cold. The only sound that really stood out was the soft pat of the rain against the back windows, fitting the scene at hand to be filled with gloom.

Truth be told, Sasori did feel bad for the teen. There can be no sympathy without empathy as the old saying went, and he knew how it felt to be in a position that was filled with so much despair that you had no idea what to do. His own past being filled with many scenario's of violence and death, he had seem many people that had enough bad luck to come into contact with him. So it wasn't like he was totally unfamiliar with the feeling.

But Deidara didn't sense any reaction yet. He was hollow again, simply empty of life. His innocence, the last thing that he had kept of his true character was now gone, and had been taken away by someone he didn't even know or remember. To an extent, he almost wished he had knocked up the slut of a 'girlfriend' he had. That would have been better than losing it to some bastard that was probably just bored and wanted to bang him…

"I'll be right back." Sasori pushed himself off the ground and went inside the kitchen. He had decided the situation now called for the light red liquid in the syringe. The plan he had was to wait a minute or two until the brat wouldn't suspect anything, then come around and inject the liquid into the blonde's arm. For this certain fluid, would not have very pleasant side effects.

But as he watched around the corner into the other room, he became amused. It seemed Deidara was trying to get off the couch so he could stand.

The redhead chuckled. He knew the blonde wouldn't be able to go anywhere for a while. His tender virgin ass was probably raw and completely unused to the attention it had received.

Struggling, the only result Deidara received was him falling on the wood, the back of his head first.

"Un…" Waiting for the stars to pass, the next thing the young artist saw was a smirking redhead towering over him.

"What exactly were you trying to do?" Sasori mused.

"…"

"Well?"

"I was trying… to leave, un…"

The elder snickered. "And why would you do that?" He asked the blonde who was now looking away from his gaze.

"This… isn't your problem."

"You're right," the redhead crossed his arms. "But you are."

"Hn?" Deidara looked at the man before him, now confused. "How so?" His eyes narrowed in distrust. Now that he thought about it, what were the chances of him ending up at his suicide hotline operator's house after he had been kidnapped?

"There are two possible things that could of happened to where you ended up here," he spoke while sitting down on the couch without stepping on the teen that was still spread out on the floor. "The first, and least likely, is that you somehow managed to escape with some dumb luck and wandered over to land exactly where my home is. Or, your stepmother somehow knew about our communication and had someone take you back and place you here, thinking you'd be safe."

"She wouldn't do that for me, un." Deidara whispered as the faint and blurry memory of Itazura words replayed in his head.

_"Alright then, take him away. But Dei-D-Dei, I think this will be good for you. It'll be a change from your depressing life, and it would of never ended anyway. I'm running for governor you know."_

"She thought it would be a good thing for me to be sold…" Deidara couldn't look at the other. He had started to feel a slight pain in his heart now. His stepmother, Itazura, had been the one person he could almost say he liked. The woman talked to him more than anyone, and actually listened to him a few times when he decided to talk. But now, all he could say was that he felt betrayed.

Sasori sighed, it seems as if his liquid would be needed, and there was no longer the time to fool around.

"Deidara, give me your arm." He kneeled down to undo the concealed carry pocket that held the syringe, but Deidara gave the puppet master a look of distrust.

"Why…?"

Sasori didn't respond. He only let his hand raise to show the needle with the light red liquid inside. The blonde's expression dropped. Then in a sudden scramble of limbs, the teen used his ankles and elbows to move back to hit his head on the far wall below the window.

Raising an eyebrow, he strode over to the glaring and now cornered teen that looked like he was about to growl. "What?"

"No thank you! I've had enough of drugs, un!"

"This isn't a drug, it's a poison."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Does it?"

"No!"

Sasori pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation and glared down at the brat. "Doesn't matter, you're taking it."

"Like hell I am! Why would I anyways?"

"So we know who we're dealing with!" Much to his displeasure, the redhead's voice started to slip to a tone that showed his anger and annoyance.

"'Who we're dealing with', un? What's that supposed to me?"

"The person that owns you!"

"And who exactly is that?"

"Apparently the person that drugged and raped you, brat!" His lips started to curl up into a snarl as he looked down at his opposing regular that was making this more difficult than it needed to be.

"What?"

Deidara felt completely split in half by his compellingly strong emotions. One side of him was mad at himself for being captured so easily without putting up any kind of a fight, but he was even more pissed at Sasori for pointing it out so broadly. On the other side of his mind, he was excited and perplexed. No one had ever argued with him before, it was basically a new experience for him. So he was surprised he could let out his frustration so freely against the redhead that also fought back just as strongly. In fact, this was the first time in months that anyone had talked to him without running away or completely ignoring him. To summarize it all, he was having fun arguing with his elder.

"Listen…" His attention was caught by the half hearted groan that came from the man above. "Since we don't know how you got here, we need to figure that out before the person that owns you figures out where you are."

"What do you mean they own me?" The blue eyes tightened at the brown.

"Meaning they paid a price for you and signed paper's saying that you're their property. If you run away or someone takes you, then your missing goods that belongs to someone else. And in this world, even for the twisted rich, something being taken away is a mark on their pride. They will look for you, and we will have to be ready. Do you understand?"

Deidara fell weak at the words. It seemed as if his anger had sucked away what energy he had stored, and was now on boarder line zero. His excitement was gone, and a tiredness that seemed long over do was now sinking in…

"Yes…"

DAY 6 – SATURDAY – 3:15 A.M.

They were supposed to be asleep, but neither could bat a lash shut. It was not the pat of the rain, or the roar of the thunder, nor was it the flash of lightning that brightened their face's in the dark. No, it was their own thoughts; their own worries that kept them awake.

Deidara now lay on the couch again while Sasori was in his own bedroom. Two different sets of eyes, staring up at the same ceiling and hearing the same noises. Though both of them had their own thoughts, it all wrapped around the same subject.

Sasori was lying in his respectable bed, waiting for some form of exhaustion to take over his dreary mind. The night was humid from the early summer storm, leaving him restless and engulfed in his own thoughts that swirled like a whirlpool in his head.

His main concern was if the person that owned Deidara would show up. If the person that owned the brat were to show, demanding his return, it would be simplest to just hand him over. He didn't owe the blonde anything after all, and if it was best for him and his home to just hand the out of luck teen over, so be it. This small space that was his home and he still had a few weeks to go before he had to leave, and he wouldn't give up the peaceful life he currently had for a brat.

After all, it wouldn't be the first time he had to let someone go without giving a glance back.

Deidara was only meters away. Now laying on the couch again, Sasori had re-laid him there so he could inject the poison into him without any problems. Turns out the red liquid was a special kind of adrenalin that was able to give him back the memories of when he was drugged. He would tell the redhead every little deal he could give, except for the fact that he was knocked out most of the time. But, he could remember with clarity now when he was raped.

It had to be the most terrible thing that had ever happened to him. Almost as if he was re-experiencing the whole thing all over again. The room smelled like blood and bodily juices, and the person never spoke, only laughed when he cringed to the slightest touch. Every time the person bit or dug their nails into his skin, the mark already on his body would suddenly scream out in memory. Then, when the person finally entered him, it took all of Sasori's strength to push him back on the couch and calm him down. There was no pleasure in the sex he was given, only pain. The person took no time to aim, no time to please. And after all was done, he remembered bleeding and crying.

The last thing before he blacked out for the last time, before he would wake up to see the redhead staring down at him with impassive eyes, was the person's words…

"_Well I think this will send a clear message, don't you think? You're going to be the perfect thing to give to Sasori as a present!_"

Deidara did not tell his elder what the person had said at the end.

The only thing Deidara now knew, was that the only person left in the world for him to stand by, was being targeted because of him.

Sasori's down fall would be because of him, this was something the blonde could predict with ease, and regret…

His eyes then gently closed, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips.

"Deidara, wake up." Someone was speaking to him.

"Brat, wake up…!" Someone was shaking his shoulder.

"Un…"

"Brat!" Someone now yelled in his ear, making his eyes widen to see the redhead's face only inches away.

"Sasori?" He yawned and rubbed his eyes. It didn't feel like he had received any sleep at all, though he was surprised not to feel the other's close presence more convictional then he remembered.

"I'm going to be gone for an hour or so, I'll bring food back with me so we can eat. Can you sit up yet?"

Without moving, Deidara could already tell his bum was better, but not yet fully healed.

"I think I should keep lying down for now, un."

"Alright, you can sleep until I get back, but try not to get up unless its necessary. I have a feeling that you won't be able to go that far anyway." Sasori now stood above him smirking, his trench coat already half on.

"Ha ha." Rolling his eyes to the sky, he pulled the blanket back over his head, making the man above him chuckle.

"Be back soon." The door then sounded shut and foot steps could be heard going down the hall.

After nothing could be heard except for the continuous rain, the blonde tried to find a comfortable spot on the couch. It wasn't like the furnishing was lumpy or old, it really seemed quite new, but he was simply just restless from his first slumber's poor attempt at restoring his energy.

Sighing, he kept the blanket over his head and his eyes closed, hoping that sleep would just come.

He heard the door open.

Had he fallen asleep? No, not that fast, and Sasori couldn't be back yet. So who was entering the puppeteer's house?

Relaxing, he took a deep breath and decided he would do the thing he was best at. Listening…

"Why are we going into Sasori-san's house when he's not here?" A childish and young voice spoke first.

"Ssshhh! Meme, do you want us to get caught?" A more matured female voice followed after.

"But why?"

"Remember what Nana Gem said? She said that she saw Sasori with a guest late last night. I want to know if its true."

"Why not ask him?"

"That man keeps his private life locked tighter that any person should."

"But don't you think Sasori-san would tell when he wants to?"

"I don't know, but I spy a lump on the couch!" The older woman's voice suddenly turned to giggles as they moved right in front of him. "Now lets just take a peek underneath…"

His blanket started to be move 'til his face was clearly visible. Trying his best to act asleep, he relaxed further with restrained breaths.

"Oh, they're pretty." The child's voice spoke first after his revealing.

"Yeah, but I cant tell if they are a boy or girl."

Deidara felt the corner of his mouth twitch at the phrase…

"Cherry, what are you doing?" Sasori's voice suddenly interrupted the two girls much to his relief.

"A-ah! Sasori, what are you doing back so soon?" The girl let out a nervous laugh and stuttered under the brown eyed glare.

"I forgot to lock my door. And it seems I was right to come back." He looked at the two girls while leaning up against door frame of his apartment. His trench coat had a few darker spots to where the rain hit the fabric, but it had not taken him very long for him to remember he should of locked his door so no one could just wander in as they please, especially with the brat in the house.

"Deidara, are you still awake?" The puppeteer asked, his eyes on the figure under the blanket.

"Unfortunately, un." The blonde raised himself up as far as he could by pushing up on his hands. Straining himself against the tenderness, he managed to get into an uncomfortable sitting position.

The two girls, announced as Cherry and Meme, were both very different.

Meme was a small blonde no more than seven. She had her hair up in small pigtails that curled out in twisted strands down to her shoulders, and she wore a red and white school uniform with black dress shoes.

The other girl, Cherry, had bright red hair she wore in a high and long pony tail with side bangs. She had on jean shorts with a long white sleeved T-shirt, she also were white and black stockings that came up to below her knees.

The only thing the two girls had in common was that their eyes were both coal black.

"You're a boy!" The little girl laughed and poked his nose, making the sculptor smile.

"I guess that would make sense then, hn?" Deidara chuckled as the little girl climbed up to sit next to him on the coach, meaning he couldn't lay back down…

"Cherry, can I see you for a minute?" Sasori's eyes never left the other redhead's in the room. He knew Cherry to well it sometimes seemed, and he sadly knew that she would be able to help.

"Of course." She smiled and skipped out of the room; he almost shut the door on her heel. "What's up?"

"How did you know he was here?" His eyes showed nothing as they narrowed almost unnoticeably at the girl, but this only made her grin and twirl one of her side bangs.

"Nana Gem said she saw you come in late last night with someone that looked hurt, so I was curious to see if it was true."

"Nana Gem only has one good eye."

"But Nana Ha said she saw you too!"

"Nana Ha also has one eye."

"Either way! They were right, so who is he? You never have guests, so he must be someone important." Her grin turned mischievous as she poked his chest accusingly.

"The situation is… difficult. But I need a favor."

"Sure! What'cha need neighbor?"

"How have the Kyoko been doing?"

Cherry's face darkened at the question. Sasori knew that this girl was a personal friend of the Kyoko, one of the most feared gangs in all of the city. Though they were said to be a family gang and only did jobs on hire, they also seemed to have experience with fighting in a different way. The only strange thing being, their group of fifteen or so people liked to sing and write songs, as if it was what they did all of that before they became killers.

"They still cant find Luka, and she's been missing for two weeks now, and her disappearance has taken a toll. Not only for their work, but also themselves."

"Tragic, but could you get them to do some research for me?"

Her eyes no narrowed to match his. "What kind of research?"

"I want to know if any newly sold slaves have run away. Can they do that for me?"

"I don't know why you would care to know such a thing, but I think they can do this simple favor easily. I can probably have the information tomorrow to give to you."

"Thank you, that is all I wanted." He turned to reopen the door, but it seemed that she had one last thing to ask.

"Sasori, does this have anything to do with that boy?"

Half turning so she could only see one side of his face, he didn't answer.

"He's the mayor's step son, isn't he?"

He again didn't answer.

"I don't know what you have gotten yourself into, but that woman is running for governor, and her only competitor 'vanished' not to long ago. I wouldn't want to mess with her."

After Cherry finished, with her dark eyes now solemn, he couldn't help chuckle lightly at the last phrase she'd said.

"I think, it's the other way around."


	8. Attendants

**DISCLAIMER: The only thing I own here so far are the OC's Cherry and Meme, so there's nothing to brag about since I don't own the greatest continuous manga/anime… T-T**

**A/N: Here it is, the final piece of the build till it all kicks off! As odd as it may seem, this chap is actually kinda important so bear with me and get through it no matter how hard it may seem. **

**Quick thing before you read though, do any of you know what vocaloids are? Yes, no, maybe so? Tell me if ya do!**

**Now for you chapter 8!**

**From the Demented Writer herself-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 6 SATURDAY 9:21 A.M.

"Why cant I just stay in your room, hn?"

"I would prefer it that way, but since you were discovered by Cherry, this is the only way to keep her quiet."

"But…"

"You can lay down there in the lounge and watch some TV till I get back. They mostly will just be curious as to who my guest is in general."

"You don't have guests often do you?"

"Not particularly… There, you look at least a little better this way."

They had managed to get Deidara looking a little better compared to when he had found him outside in the rain. They had washed his face, brushed his hair and gave him new cloths from the Sasori's closet that covered all of the marks. And from the redhead's point of view, he looked _a lot _better compared to before when his cloths were about to fall apart.

"You should wear less make up, it makes you look sweeter and less like a girl."

"Un…" The blonde gave him a not so amused look.

"Can you walk yet?"

They were in the living room of Sasori's apartment. After he had met the two girls, Cherry had insisted that he come down stairs to meet everyone while Sasori was out. But he didn't really feel like meeting anyone if they were just going to ignore him…

"I don't think so, I can barely sit up and that still hurts like hell, un."

"Oh no you don't!" Cherry came running in the room, slamming the door behind her. It seemed Sasori hadn't locked his door yet. "You are coming downstairs, whether you like it or not. And you have to hurry before Konan has to leave for work. I'll be down there, waiting." She winked and left as fast as she came.

"Is she always like that that?" The blonde looked up to see the puppeteer's agitated face.

"Unfortunately."

"So it just be easier to go as she says, hn? That's a pain."

"You are right on both statements, but I don't know how we're going to get you downstairs when you shouldn't be walking for a while still."

"Then carry him!" Cherry's head popped back in quickly, then left for good by the assurance of the foot steps running down the hall, leaving the two men staring at each other.

"Do I have to…?"

"Can you think of a better way?" Pushing back his bangs, Sasori's voice showed no sign of emotion, it was simply smooth and straight to the point, leaving Deidara no room to argue.

The redhead crouched down in front blonde that was leaning back along the coach. This movement confused him though, what was he supposed to do?

"Get on my back."

"Un?"

"Or would you rather have everyone's first impression of you being carried like a princess?" The elder snickered at the now dumbfounded blonde.

"No, a piggy back ride will be fine…" A small pink blush of either defeat, annoyance or embarrassment covered Deidara's cheeks, making the elder smirk.

It took a few minuets, and a few impatient grumbles from the elder, they managed to get the sculptor secure on his back so he could move. The other Sasori had a good hold on the other when he stood up, it was just the Deidara's grip around his neck was a little tight.

"Brat, I'm not going to drop you."

"…"

"I'm a lot stronger than I look, I could lift you above my head if I wanted."

"No. Its just… I don't think my ass can take any more abuse if I fall, un…" His tone now un-amused again, Sasori chuckled and started to walk over to the door. He tried to move slow and diligently so he wouldn't bounce the teen on his back to much. When they got to the door, Deidara was the one that had to open it because his hands were already holding on to the blonde, who still hadn't loosened the grip around his neck.

Down the hall they started toward the stair, but when they were half way there, Deidara's arms flexed around his neck for some reason.

"Sasori, wont they just ignore me?"

"Why would they do that after all the trouble they've been making me go through just to get you down stairs?"

"Wont they figure out I'm the mayor's son?" The blonde's words became soft as he placed his forehead on the puppeteer's shoulder. The teen knew that everyone would be against his stay if they found out about his family, especially since Itazura was running for a higher office with more power.

But the elder snickered, much to the younger's surprise.

"You'd be astonished at how low some people's deductible skills are."

"So… they wont ignore me, un?" Deidara lifted his head slightly to look at the raised eyebrow Sasori had given him.

"I think you will have more trouble ignoring them."

They were down the first flight of stairs, when the blonde officially couldn't describe his situation. He had never met anyone that didn't know about his back round before hand, so what was he supposed to think of these people he was about to meet? Were they just idiots that couldn't put two and two together? Or would they just not take the time to think about the possibility?

Now down the second set of stairs and stepping into the lobby area, past the desk and into a room right across from the stairs; they had entered a room with an old green coach, a dull brown carpet, tan recliner, coffee table, medium size TV, a table with a lamp, bookcase with very few books and two windows along the right side wall that faced an ally way. But, if it weren't for the bright and curious faces in that filled the room, it would of looked boring.

"See! See! Sasori did have a guest, I guess miracles can happen!" Cherry popped out of the small crowd and grinned, making both men roll their eyes.

Sasori set the blonde down on the coach, and it took less than a second for them to swarm around him.

The first people to come up to the stunned teen were two old woman that were hunched over with tan skin and black slits for eyes.

"You see Nana Gem, I did see someone."

"Ah, but I also saw someone Nana Ha."

"Bu I was the one that saw them with Sasori, Nana Gem."

"You are mistaken, Nana Ha. For I was the one that saw them with Sasori, you were the one that said they looked hurt."

"Is that so Nana Gem?"

"It is so Nana Ha."

The two women nodded in unison, only to pushed out of the way by a girl. She was a very young teenager who wore jeans and a black top with a back pack slung over her shoulder. Her short black hair hung in her face, which had a disapproving look.

"Tch, he does look like a girl. Probably just some dumbshit cross dresser and- OW!" The girl's hand went to the back of her head where a bump was rising.

"N-Nigai, you shouldn't be mean to the guest." A man in plain cloths came up next, with a small boy in front of him and another man behind him. The boy was still young, he had light brown hair and green eyes and he had on a yellow shirt with a pair of shorts that barely covered his knees.

Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, the man in plain cloths smiled warmly at him. "Hello, my name is Kuiro and this is my son Tomo." After the man spoke, the boy grinned showing that he was missing his two front teeth. Shifting his head, Deidara could see the last man that had yet to introduce himself.

"Oh, that scary figure back there is Clouw. He's not so bad once you get used to him."

Clouw was a tall man that wore a black suit and tie with glasses. He had black hair that he pulled back into a long ponytail that went along the middle of his back. Though the man was grimacing slightly, Tomo laughed.

"Him and papa are Koibito's!"

The room now sounded with laughs, giggles and snickers at the little boys sentence, even Deidara let himself smile, leaving only Sasori and Clouw out of the good natured sound.

"Where's Konan?" Cherry started to look around the room, her eyes finally landing of a woman about to walk out of the building. She had blue hair with a white papier-mâché flower in her hair, she was dressed in a formal attire and seemed to be hurrying out of the building. But she wasn't fast enough to escape Cherry.

"Look Konan look! Sasori has a guest!"

The woman looked over to him with a bored expression then turned back to Cherry. "That is nice for him, but I have to leave. If I don't hurry, I'm going to miss the subway." She then went out the door.

"Aww don't worry 'bout her! She has three jobs and is the serious type." Cherry bent over him with a smile and then popped back up. "So, you know our names, what's your's?"

The whole room now looked at him with anticipation, but he was completely taken back. So many people were around him at once and were talking to him. This had never happened before, and he didn't want to ruin it, not now. So quickly looking over to Sasori who was sitting on the opposite arm of the coach, the man nodded.

"My name is Deidara, un."

He waited then. For them to back away, to whisper, to leave without saying anything else just as every other had done to him. But none of that happened…

"Deidara… that's a nice name!" Cherry smiled and broke the ice for the room.

After that, they all started a small conversation around him. It felt so strange, to be surround with so many people that were acknowledging him with smiles and small chatter. Another new experience… The blonde looked over to redhead that was staring at the scene with a bored expression. Though he could see from the beginning that Sasori wasn't the sociable type, he'd thought the man would speak a little to the others.

Proven wrong, the only time Sasori spoke was when he said his adieu. "I'll be back in an hour or so brat, I think you can stay entertained till then." And then the man left, out into the pouring rain.

The time passed by fast, but the sculptor couldn't remember another time that he had laughed and smiled so much. He played a couple game with Meme, Tomo and Cherry while Nigai watched TV at the other end. After he lost twice at Life, he let Meme brush out his hair, since he didn't do a very good job earlier. She even started to sing a little song…

Ka~gome Kagome, Kago no naka no Tori wa Itsu Itsu deyaru? Yoake no ban ni Tsuru to kame ga subetta Ushiro no shoumen daare…?

At first he wasn't very trusting of the little girl that might mess with his hair, but it turned out she was very shy. She would take a strand at a time and brush it carefully through, but when she got to the strand that covered his face, she stopped for a second.

"What's wrong Meme?"

"Earlier… You looked sad Deidara-kun. Now you look more happy but… still sad."

Deidara didn't respond to that. It wasn't that he didn't know how to respond, its just he knew if he did give the little girl an explanation, it would be a lie. He had never known a person to actually take note of his expressions, so he let his emotions show through without a care by force of a habit, because no one would usually notice anyway.

"But… You seem more calm around Sasori-san. Why is that?"

He again didn't answer, now deciding that this little girl was to intuitive for her age. She was completely ignorant to the situation and yet she kept hitting the nail dead on.

"What about your family? Aren't they worried about you?"

She slipped there. His siblings were dead. His mother and step father barely remembered he was still alive. His father might as well not even exist, and his step mother had handed him over to settle a debt. No, his family was no longer part of his concerns.

"Don't you have friends? Sasori-san is nice but… I would rather stay with friends."

He still didn't answer the little girl, for he now questioned if he ever had 'friends'. The people that called him a 'friend', were only spoiled little fuckers that used him as a doll and then put him on a high shelf. Those weren't friends, any good hearted person would never do that on their own accord.

"Deidara-kun? Are you sad again? Your crying…"

The little girl was right. He was crying without even noticing. The tears came down as steady as the rain, as if they had been built up for the longest time and just decided it was time to let them all out.

The little girl saw his tears and attempted to wipe them away in vein for they still flowed as he sunk more into his life's memories as a way of sulking.

"Come on Meme." Nigai grabbed the little girls wrist to pull her out of the room.

"Why? Sasori-san isn't back yet."

"Leave Deidara-kun alone for now."

They left him. They left him to his own mind that wasn't safe, that wasn't sane.

He tried holding his breath, to stop everything and make it all go away, but that only made things worse; a devil of misery had risen out of the watered lies he had kept and was now showing its ugly head.

And then it was there again, that emptiness… But this time, something came with it, a desire almost. It was dark with a narcissistic flavor that breathed rage. This feeling was a terribly controlled wish to kill. To splatter a red paint so rich that it stained till all was forgotten. To hear a scream so soul shattering that everyone that heard it was banished to their own hell. To see an unstoppable fire consume everything with a mercy only Satan had. It started to break him down to the only basic form that was left, his raw emotions, and they held more they he could keep.

This was his revolution. He would finish this and make the person responsible pay. And that person was his step mother.

"Nana Gem!" A voice yelled and a door slammed. "Brat!" Sasori's voice called him back to the world.

"U-un…?" Deidara looked up to the redheaded man that was coming over to him.

"Come on, we need to prepare for tonight." The elder grabbed his wrist and pulled him into standing position and started to make him walk, only to make him crouch over in pain.

He groaned. "Sasori… Don't move, un…" Deidara looked up to the man that was still holding his wrist, making the older man chuckle.

"Well, I guess its safe to say you were thoroughly fucked."

"Screw you…" He groaned out again with a glare.

"Damn it. Nana Ge-!"

"What do you want?" One of the old ladies came from around the corner and swung a cane at Sasori, only to skillfully dodge.

"I need you to make a medicine for Deidara."

"What kind of medicine?" She narrowed her slit for eyes. Sighing, Sasori leaned over and whispered something in the old woman's ear that made her laugh.

"So that was it! Well that explains quite a bit now doesn't it? You always were the type to play rough Sasori."

The redhead glared. "It wasn't me."

"I'll get to making the medicine then. In the mean time, get that boy back up stairs near the bathroom."

Nodding, Sasori watched the old woman walk away to the kitchen down the small hallway.

"Hn? Why do I need medicine?"

"Because, brat," Sasori lifted him on to his back and started over to the stairs to go to his apartment. "We're going to visit your step mother."


	9. Under the Fire Lit Night

**DISCLAIMER: Do I have to say something so obvious that only trolls like to complain about because they have no lives…? Fine! I don't own Naruto but I do own the plot and all of the OC's thus far.**

**A/N: Yo! *gives little reviewers and readers pocky and lemon sherbet* Thank you for giving me over 50 reviews for the first 8 chaps! So I'm given some special shout outs to Blood Drenched Scorpion, -shadownin1010-, Diamone, Scarlet Momento and to my newest reader Keono. They all reviewed a lot so I thought I just be nice for once and not a sarcastic ass and give them some kudos. Check them out cause I've read at least one story form them and they are good writers, so send them some love!**

**But I'm in a surprisingly good mood to let you all know even though you don't care and just want to read if anything at all. So here's your new chapter that is by far my favorite, and the damn longest! X) And I will tell you guys this chapter didn't take me long to finish because of its length, it was because I found a good book… shut up…**

**But before you start reading, some things need to be cleared up!**

**Beretta 92: Is a hand gun made in Italy. If you wish to see a picture, follow the link below.**

**Http:/en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Beretta_92 (just get rid of the spaces between the dot!)**

**Twin Cutlasses: A long slightly curved sword that has a twin replica. Also known as the Caribbean Machete. (If that doesn't help, just imagine two pirate swords XD)**

DAY 6 - SATURDAY - 1:40 P.M.

"Why do I have a bad feeling that this liquid isn't going to taste very good, un?" Deidara was leaning up against Sasori's bathroom door, staring down at a cup he was given; filled with a liquid that smelled like rotten sardines, onions and pickle juice. It wasn't the most appetizing smell…

"It won't, my poisons would probably taste better, but this will make you feel recovered and we're running out of time to prepare." Sasori said with his arms crossed.

"But…" He looked down at the cup with a hopeless expression.

"Just drink it boy!" The old woman swung her cane at him, making the teen duck to avoid the impact.

"Fine." The blonde grimaced.

Throwing his head back, he took it like a shot. The liquid felt like hot wax going down the inside of his throat. It burned and tried to stick to the sides all the way down to his stomach, but even when it reached his acids, he could still feel it settling in layers.

"Oh…" He covered his mouth. "I think I'm gonna be sick, un." He gulped, and shivered down to sit on the floor.

"You won't throw up, but I would get near a toilet before it starts to work its way through." Nana Gem gave him a smile that increased the wrinkles on her face, he in turn giving the woman a raised eyebrow of confusion.

"What do you mean by tha-?" He was cut off by a grumble from his stomach. Now understanding and moving quickly, he opened the bathroom door and disappeared behind it, leaving a chuckling Sasori and a still grinning Nana Gem.

"I'm going to change while the brat is in the bathroom, hopefully that potion should do the trick." The redhead started to walk toward his door, but quickly had to crouch down on the floor to avoid the old woman's staff. Turning his head back, he gave her a blank look.

"Sasori, if you're going up against that woman tonight, you are not going to take that _thing _are you? It's to noticeable and you won't be able to move very fast. It would be better to play it on the easy side." The old woman gave him a glare with mixed in worry, but he did not let his faze him in the least.

"I was not planning to use that '_thing_' as you call it." His eyes tightened slightly. "I was merely going to use a few gifts from my parents. But that '_thing_' is a work of art you old hag. Now leave. We need to get ready." Turning again to enter his bed room, the blonde came out of the lavatory with a weird look.

"That was… Gross, un…"

"Probably. But how do you feel?" Sasori looked at the teen with his expression still as clear as slate.

"I feel… almost new. Like all my muscles and organs were replaced with better ones. Strange, even my hand mouths feel different, un."

"Good, that means the medicine works." Nana Gem nodded her head. "That certain remedy is specifically meant for cleaning and relaxing your muscles. So the pain in your derrière is no longer existent."

Deidara blushed at the old woman and jerked his head down quickly. "Thanks I guess…"

"You're welcome. I'll be taking my leave now. Good luck, and try not to get killed." The old woman left it at that, slamming the door behind her.

Not missing a second, Deidara stopped the redhead again with his speech.

"I have two questions, and I would like to have them answered before we leave."

The elder sighed and looked back to the blonde that had wavering emotions in his eyes.

"The first one is why are we suddenly visiting Itazura, hn? What good could that do?"

"When I was out, I remembered something. The person that owns you may send a complaint to whichever gang they bought you from. If that's true, they will try to find you so they could return you to your owner."

"So that means… Two people are looking for me, hn?"

"Yes. And depending on who they are, it makes the situation more or less dangerous."

"And the only person that would know who sold me would be my step mother, un."

"Now you're getting it."

"One more thing… How did you know Nana Gem had something like that, hn?" The only thing Deidara could say was that he was curious. Was it because the puppeteer also had to use it at some point? And if so, was it for the same reason as him…?

"She has made it before for Kuiro. It seems Clouw did a certain number on him to where he couldn't sit for days, so she gave him that little concoction and it worked like magic."

"Un…" He didn't know why, but the blonde was relieved that Sasori had never needed the medicine…

DAY 7 – SUNDAY - 1:01 A.M.

They were in the woods behind the mansion like house where Deidara's father and step mother lived. Only being a few feet away from the fence that separated the land, Sasori looked around one more time for guards. The brat had explained he knew a way inside from here, but the redhead grew less sure of the younger's assurance by the moment. The only thing around them was giant trees that towered over the ten foot fence, so what could the other have planned?

"Brat, are you sure you know how to get inside?" Sasori looked back to the blonde who seemed to be looking for something up in the branches above their heads.

"I will once I find the right tree. But how come you're the only one that gets weapons?" Deidara whined and gave a small pout that seemed to include a small half-hearted glare.

Interesting…

"Alright then, let me ask you something, Deidara." Faster then the eyes could comprehend, Sasori had a hand gun and was pointing it right in the middle of blonde's forehead. The cold metal was only centimeters from touching the tan flesh. "Could you point a gun at a man, knowing that he might have family, friends, and loved ones that might mourn his existence; could you pull the trigger?"

The younger didn't respond or show any sign of relent. He only stared with half lidded eyes and a small frown twitching at his lips.

"Or," Sasori twisted around with expert and fluid movements behind the sculptor. Left arm striking down to wrap around the other's waist, to also secure his arms, he jerked his wrist and a knife appeared in his right hand. Before Deidara could let a breath out, the blade could be felt along his throat. "Could you slice someone's throat, only with a flick of your hand, knowing you'd have to get a clean cut so your prey's blood doesn't cover you... Could you do it?"

Sasori's voice was like velvet to his ears. It was calm and smooth; already being melodic, it made him relax even with a knife against his throat.

"No… I couldn't."

"I thought the same." Sasori removed the knife and let it slide down into the little pocket in his sleeve. "Now find what you're looking for so we can get going."

"I already did, un!" Deidara now grinned and started to run along the fence, only to stop at a very large tree that had to be more than hundred years old. Going around to the back of it, the redhead saw the brat jump up and barely grasped a branch. Now swinging like a monkey, the teen swung himself up on the limb. After he found his balance, he looked down at Sasori who was staring at him, bored.

"I told you I knew a way in, it just so happens to be up a tree, un."

"Brat, I am not climbing a tree."

"To get in there you are. The gate is locked from the inside, un. So we can leave that way if you want, but this is the only way in that's unnoticeable." The younger gave him a confident nod. "Come on, I'll give you a hand, un." Deidara leaned down with one hand on the tree for balance, and the other just barely reaching past the branch he first grabbed when he jumped.

Sasori silently gave, seeing no other way.

He jumped, one hand grabbing the branch and the other grabbing Deidara's hand. With their two combined strengths, they managed to get the redhead up on the branch. Though the younger thought it was weird when Sasori didn't move his left leg.

"Is there something wrong with your leg Sasori, un?"

"Hn. Oh, I have my reasons."

"And what are those, hn?" Now that he looked closer, the teen could see long black handles sticking out of the redhead's pants pocket. "Big pocket knives or somethin'?"

"No. This is a pocket knife." Sasori let go of Deidara's hand so he could let the metal slide out of the slip in his sleeve, and twirl it around his fingers expertly. "Those are not pocket knives." He pointed at the black handles, put the small knife back in his sleeve, and left it at that.

"Fine. follow me, un." Stepping up on the next branch with memorization, he couldn't take three steps before he heard a light thud and swears from the puppeteer. Looking back, he could tell Sasori was having trouble with his footing in the large tree.

"Damn it…! Brat, how can you even _see_?"

"I don't have to, I know this tree by memory, un. Follow my steps exactly and you'll get the hang of it." Deidara started ahead again, looking over his shoulder every now and then at the older man who was still having some difficulty, but half way up, it seemed he figured it out.

"Is this tree… going up like a spiral staircase?"

"Un. I cut it that way so I wouldn't have to worry about falling. Look, I can see the window now." Deidara moved faster up seven more branches. Then, carefully edging out to the far end of the limb to open up the window, he jump through. Sasori followed with the same actions, but seemed to have more grace.

The room was simply a closet and was very small and dark like the teen had predicted, but it almost seemed cramped with the elder's breath tickling the hairs on his neck.

"Where are we?" Hearing the smooth voice Sasori behind him suddenly made Deidara nervous that they were so close. Moving forward to grab the door knob, he peeked into the light filled hall.

"Follow me…"

Deidara stepped out of the closet and down the hall silently. He had to look behind him to make sure that Sasori was following him, for the man didn't make a sound either. He led them both downstairs where no guards were posted, but it was also the place where Itazura's office was. Around the stairs and following the empty hall back to the double doors, he knew she would be in there, and that's what unnerved him. He had liked his step mother, and she threw him out like trash to be sold. Pressure was put on his heart, the rejection, anger and sadness seemed to be very real at that moment; in which made him take a step back.

"Sasori… You can go in first, un…" He looked down so he wouldn't have to see the older man's gaze at him, because that would be to much on top of everything else.

"Alright, do not come in until I say."

"Un…"

The redhead nodded even though he knew the boy would not look up. He grasped the door knob and turned it slowly to see if it would make a sound, but it made not even a squeak. Sliding through the crack he made from himself, he didn't shut the door behind him, afraid it might click.

The woman, Itazura, was sitting at her desk with her head down, seemingly working on papers. Taking note of this, he walked half way across the official looking room and stopped at that, any closer might have been dangerous.

"Excuse me ma'am, me and my associate would like to have a word with you."

"Hmm?" She still didn't look up from her work. "Well I'm not sure how you got in here, but I think this can wait 'til the morning when I'm in at the office. That would be a much more appropriate time, don't you think?"

"I'm afraid we cant wait for that." He pulled out his hand gun and undid the safety. The clicking sound made her head rise.

"I see that it can't. You said that you had an associate?"

"Go ahead and come in brat." He didn't take his eyes off the woman, but he did hear the small noise of the door opening. The woman's eyes widen slightly, but then went back to what seemed to be her usual half lidded stare and accessorizing sneer to go with it.

"Hey Dei-D-Dei, didn't expect to see you so soon. Is he your new owner?"

Deidara tensed at the word 'owner', but it did relight the fire in his heart that wanted to hear the woman before him scream. He wanted Itazura to suffer, and he knew the perfect way…

"Umm… Sasori? Can I go get something while I'm here?"

"Alright... just don't take to long."

"Un… And Sasori? Don't kill her, she's mine."

Though Sasori couldn't see the teen, he knew that he was glaring with all his might. The elder didn't blame him though. He figured the younger would go through a stage of rage to the point of getting revenge, but he was curious as to what the other would do to achieve such a hard feat.

"You have my word I will not lay a finger on her."

Deidara didn't say a thing once the puppeteer spoke. He ran out the door and down the long hall to go back upstairs. Finding his room with ease, he penetrated the stale space, and entered the closet first. He had put a stool in there for a reason like this, and stepping on it, he pushed a piece of wood up so he could enter an attic like area. He had found this room when he first came to the large house, and it was very useful because it was chilled. He crossed the termite laced wood quickly though, finding eight large drawstring bags, and opened one of the two that had an 'X' on them. He dipped both of his hands inside the bag, and felt the wet, cool earth surrounding his fingers. His mouth hands began taking in all they could chew, relaxing him for the glorious ending that was to come.

The blonde grinned like a demon at his plan that had formed, rather proud.

Quickly checking, he moved over to a small round window that over looked the front lawn. He saw many security guards running into the building, meaning he would have to work fast. But this also reassured him, because it was obvious Sasori was doing his job. Deidara now grabbed all of the eight drawstring bags, and started for the exit…

1:15 A.M.

Meanwhile, back down stairs, a certain redhead was having a less than appealing conversation with a bitchy step mom.

"Well Sasori-san, how did my little Dei-D-Dei end up in your care, hm?"

"I was hoping you could answer that. But more importantly, who did you give Deidara to?"

"Hn~? What do you mean by that?'

"What gang, and if you know, who they sold him to."

"Sasori-san, Sasori-san… The situation is difficult as you can imagine. It's not like I wanted to give away little Dei-D-Dei, but he was the only thing of value they could want. Sasori… You were his suicide operator, yeah?"

The puppeteer's eyes narrowed, as the hold on his gun tightened. "Yes… how did you know?"

"He always used his cell phone to call you. He would of never expected that it could be used to track someone, but these weren't really ordinary circumstances."

"I see."

Two hidden doors on either side of Itazura slid open out of the walls. Guards came filing in with a small boy with light brown hair and murky green eyes. The guards covered the walls of the room completely, and the young boy, who looked to be fifteen, went to stand by Itazura.

"Mommy, isn't it time to eat?" The little boy asked.

"Don't worry, we both can eat soon. Just wait 'til mommy is done."

Sasori's eye twitched. He had a feeling they weren't talking about food…

"Mommy, why does that man have a gun?" The boy asked now staring at him.

"Yes... are you really going to use that Sasori-san?"

Without blinking an eye, his arm pointed to the right, his index finger pulled the trigger, and one of the guards dropped dead with a hole in his skull, spilling blood.

"So you're serious hm? What kind of gun is that?"

"A Beretta 92."

"That's some serious packing just to come and visit little old me."

"Just answer my questions and I'll be on my way."

"Is that so? And what if I don't answer your questions? You said you'd leave me for Dei-D-Dei."

"True, but I could kill every single guard in this room with not even a thread of remorse."

Some of the men gulped at this, but he knew they weren't aloud to act unless ordered to. So they could be slaughtered and not put up any defense at all.

"I don't know about that. You only have six shots left and that's only if the first one you fired was an extra. And you don't really look a gun man Sasori-san."

"You're right about that." He twirled the gun around his finger and slid it into his pocket.

"There's about thirty-five men in this room, all of them having two guns with an extra round for each. So how are you gonna kill all of them?"

At this, Sasori felt a sadistic smirk cracked his calm exterior.

"It's true I never have preferred guns. But blades on the other hand," his left hand grabbed the black handles and threw them up, catching one in each hand. "Now that's another story."

Itazura's eyes widened suddenly as she focused on the swords.

"Twin cutlasses… and that insignia! So you _are_ the 'Red Scorpion'! That man was right!"

"Man?" Sasori inquired.

"I thought it was a coincidence that your names were the same, but with that mark on your sword. It must be true!"

"What man?" He did a small side step and a twirl to his right, leaving giant gashes on four of the men's chests along the far wall. All of them falling down, the others flinched and shivering in horrid anticipation.

"His name is Uragirimono. When I told him about Deidara having a suicide hotline operator named Akasuna Sasori, he demanded that I use my little Dei-D-Dei as a way of repayment for my debt. I agreed. So it seems you have someone haunting you from your past, Sasori-san." She gave the most innocent smile then, but he wasn't paying attention.

That name… Uragirimono… It brought some very blurry memories to his mind, and no matter how hard he focused on them, he couldn't bring them to view. He could tell they were very early memories, maybe from his childhood at the latest. But he could hear a voice that was vague in his thought… Who was this person? And why was he using Deidara to get to him?

"Guards, kill him."

Itazura spoke those words so fast he was almost caught by surprise, but Sasori was always ready. Jumping to the side, he grabbed one of the men he slashed earlier who was just barely alive from blood loss. He got behind the unconscious man and stabbed his sword through him, creating a shield right as the shots came at him. Since he had picked one of the men that was in the middle of the four he sliced, he chopped off the mans head on his left and threw it across the room; splattering blood everywhere and blinding some eyes. Taking the moment to use as an advantage, he moved across the room and struck ten guards down with movements full of grace. He then danced in the air, dodging bullets by listening to what direction they were fired from.

"Stop him! Kill him!"

An idea came to Sasori at that moment. Hearing most of the remaining guards reload, he ran right for Itazura, jumped over the desk with a flip, and landed right behind the boy who had entered earlier. Quickly putting one of the long blades along his throat, the room stilled.

"You wouldn't…" Itazura's eyes narrowed to that of a snake's.

He moved around the desk, with the boy following closely, and back to the middle of the room. Half of the guards were either dead or unconscious. Blood stained the pale blue carpet and a stench was now setting in.

After a minute of utter silence and no movement, a brave simpleton jumped at him to grab the boy, but Sasori saw this coming. His free arm lashed out and stiffened, making the fool guard slice himself in half right through to the spinal cord. The bottom half of the man, which was the waist down, fell to the floor with a thud while the top half balanced on his blade for a while before falling on top of the bottom half.

"Unless you want another death on your hands, I suggest you tell me what I want." His face was as clear as a ice, but his voice was as sharp as a nail.

"Just give me the boy, and I will tell you what I know." Itazura was now starting to show some form of worry, so he decided to use that as another advantage.

"Tell you what, I-"

"Sasori!" Deidara ran in through the door, panting and out of breath.

"Damn it brat, don't you know not to interrupt people when they are negotiating?" Sasori glared back at the teenager in the doorway.

"Negotiating?" The blonde looked around the room to see it covered mostly in blood and bodies.

"Yeah, you're _real_ good at that, un." He rolled his eyes. "Come on, we're leaving, un." He grabbed Sasori's free arm and pulled at it. He was far to anxious to wait for what was to come.

"But-"

"Come on!" Deidara pulled at his arm again, but he could tell the redhead wasn't getting his rash behavior. So he wrapped his arms around the other's waist and started to pull more forcefully. "Come on, un!"

Sighing, Sasori removed his blade and kicked the kid into a puddle of blood and ran out the door. Down the hall, around the stair, into the main lobby and outside to the front lawn. When they were outside, the redhead was surprised to see the gate already open. But through it they went, and when they were about ten feet away, Deidara stopped.

"Brat! What are you doing, we have to go-"

"Shh! Just wait, un…"

Sasori knew only one word to describe the look on the younger's face, and that word was psychotic. A grin like the Joker's had taken over the bottom part of his jaw, and his eyes were wide with a gleam so bright that it could have been a full moon.

But then he uttered a word, and everything happened.

"Katsu!"

A roar of white noise and a flash of red and yellow. The mansion had exploded. A wind so strong; waves of power were coming from different directions, making the redhead brace himself. But Deidara was just fine. His long blonde hair flowed out like a cape that glowed against the bright red that smelled like smoke and burning carcasses. The sight was just so entrancing to him. Once the explosion had settled down, the sky was licked with flames so high that the smoke became the new clouds and the ash came down like rain. It would have been impossible to survive.

"Sasori…" Deidara didn't take his eyes away from the house that was ablaze, but he knew the elder had heard him. "It's true that I couldn't pull a trigger or slice off someone's head like you can… But I can blow them all to hell, un!" Deidara grinned and laughed at his own words, making Sasori chuckle, and come up to stand beside the boy.

"And I'm guessing this is your art?"

"Un. This is true art! It may only last a moment, but this fantastic sight will always stay in my memory as one of the best nights of my life."

"Ah, but wouldn't you rather have your step mother burning for eternity? For her to feel her skin melting off and her blood evaporating for an endless amount of time?"

Deidara gave the man a grimace as he became unamused. "You're ruining my fun Sasori no Danna."

"Good. Now lets go, I think I hear sirens."

The blonde ran over to the side walk off to the left, and under a small tree, was eight drawstring bags. He grabbed all of them and ran back to the redhead. Sasori merely raising an eyebrow with a subtle twitch of his lips in reply. It was certainly counterproductive to kill Itazura, but that didn't mean they couldn't figure out the rest themselves...

Though... at least it was a peaceful walk home...


	10. Fighting the Embers

**DISCLAIMER: Guess what! I bought the rights to Naruto over night and now you're a true dumbass if you believe me!**

**A/N: I'm not sure how you guys do it, but you all make me smile. Come back from two hours of tennis conditioning (feeling like crap I might add, I DESPISE running), read a review, I feel all better again. Wake up at seven, meaning I only got four hours of sleep, to go to band practice for three and a half hours, come back to see a new favorite and alert, I'm instantly happy. So I have to ask, you guys magic or somethin'?**

**Hmph, just kidding. But I wouldn't mind some criticism every now and then, I don't mean people randomly saying 'this is the worst piece of shit I've ever read!' I mean like suggestions on how to make the story better like pointing out my errors or if I make one of the characters to OC… unless they are OC's… But you know what I mean! **

**I ask for criticism because I want to grow as a writer. I want to be able to make the reader see everything clearly and to understand the situation. But I REALLY want you guys to feel something; to get caught up in all of it. That's my goal as you know, for you guys to feel something, so this story wont reach the 'Last Level of Perfection' as I like to call it till I make- NO! Till I make a GUY get a nose bleed! That's my goal for this story, I probably wont reach it, but some goals take time to reach. **

**Hehe! From your less than bubbly writer-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 8 - MONDAY - 11:26 A.M.

Deidara groaned from Sasori's couch. He had gotten maybe five hours of sleep at the most, but that wasn't nearly enough to fix the grumpy mood he would be in. A mug was placed on the table before him. Sitting up, he saw Sasori standing above him, sipping his own steaming liquid.

"That better be coffee and it better be black, un."

"Please, that's the only way I make it." The redhead sat down and put his legs up so he was in the same position as Deidara; both of them leaning up against the arms with the blonde's legs in the back and the elders in the front. They drank their black liquid silently and peacefully, both of their thoughts differing.

Though the blonde was tired, he was incredibly happy. Thanks to the help of Sasori, his step mother was gone and no one would ever treat him special ever again. School only had a few days left, but he could now look forward to whatever future his chose. His only remaining problem was the gang and his 'owner' that were looking for him. Besides obvious ones, they were the only remaining kinks in his life, so he figured with the help of Sasori, they could beat out anyone that served as a threat.

But the redhead on the other side of the furnishing was not so confident in their situation. The name Uragirimono felt ominous to him, like it was a shadow that couldn't have been seen until you knew for a fact that it was there. It also worried him that this man was looking for him and knew his name. He took it as a possibility that it was one of those people that had gotten away all those years ago, but that was a long shot. He was looking for them, not the other way around. Though, he had to say the most frustrating part was the unclear memories that liked to pop up at random. They were only little snippets, but he could now tell they were definitely from his childhood. And these annoying little bastards are the thing had kept him up all night…

"Sasori! Deidara!" Cherry busted through the door out of breath with a serious expression. "Quick! You need to come downstairs. And I mean NOW!" She then ran back down the hall, a sound of soft pats following her trail.

Sasori blinked boredly, sighed and took another sip of his coffee.

"You really should learn to lock your door," Deidara spoke with a level voice, but had a much more serene face than the other.

"The door was locked… at least I think it was." The redhead shrugged. "It's never been a problem before."

"Shouldn't we go down stairs, un?"

"I'd prefer we not."

"What if it's something important?"

"To Cherry, if someone got their hair cut it's important. Besides, it's peaceful up here and I like to be alone."

"Hn? But I'm here aren't I?"

"True. But one of you is better than eight of them."

"Hmph, thanks." He rolled his eyes. "I still think one of us should go down there, un."

"Feel free…"

Deidara sighed, he thought it was annoying that the puppeteer didn't take any time to care about the others in the building, but he was curious so he thought he'd check out whatever the red haired girl was talking about. And if it turned out to be something stupid, then it was his fault.

Standing up, he walked out the door and shut it behind him. Through the hall and down the two levels of stairs, it seemed everyone was in the lounge room.

"Deidara, come quick! Where's Sasori? Whatever, it's starting!" Cherry came over and pulled him into the room. She sat on the arm of the chair, leaving him to stand, but everyone's eyes were focused on the medium sized TV.

"What's on?"

"The news."

"Now introducing," the TV sounded. "The mayor of the city!"

The blonde instantly paled as he watched his step mother move out onto a podium on a live feed…

"As many of you may already know, my home was set on fire last night by an unknown man. We have come up with many theories as to who he is, but none can be confirmed. I will hunt this man down…" A fake tear rolled down her cheek, he could tell. "Because, it's one thing to destroy someone's home… It's another to steal their child!" Itazura covered him mouth, as if to hold back sobs, but he again knew that it was to hide a smirk. "This is why I'm running for Governor, to stop crimes such as these. Mark my words. I will have my Dei-D-Dei back, I will look for him with any means necessary… I'm coming for you, Deidara." His picture flashed passed the screen and a reporter went on to say that this would be repeated in the next five minutes, but he heard none of it.

It was back, the hollowness, only this time it was so sad that it was screaming with misery, begging to be released.

He turned on his heels, knowing that everyone in the room was staring at him. They now knew who he was, and they would treat him just like everyone else had. They would turn him into a pretty doll and let him rot at the top, and let the hollowness eat him alive.

Up the stairs, down the hall and to the known door, he opened it with a plain face and shut and locked it self-consciously.

Once the door swung open slowly, and Deidara entered with a face so blank that he could be soulless, Sasori knew something was wrong. He then watched the blonde as he entered and sat back down on the couch where he last was. The teen didn't move or speak, he only held his head down, making it impossible for the redhead to examine him further.

"Brat, what happened?"

"She's… alive, un…"

"What?"

"She's alive…"

"If you're going to say something, say it clearly, brat." Though he told the other this, he still got closer so he was sitting right in front of blonde.

"She's alive, un."

"Who?"

"Itazura…" Deidara finally lifted his head to show a steady stream of tears going down his cheeks, making Sasori's eyes widen the tiniest bit.

"How? You sent that place past the ninth ring of hell."

The blonde didn't respond, he only let the now uncontrollable tears fall as they pleased. He was empty of everything, hope, strength, will; there was no one he could trust or lean on and after everything, he no longer knew how to stand. After a while, he lost his composure completely, making his head fall into Sasori's lap.

This surprised the redhead. He was no good with human contact in the first place, let alone comforting.

"How do you know she's alive?"

"She was on the news… She said she was going to look for me and the man that burned down her house, un…"

Sasori understood. Now that the public knew Deidara was missing, that would cause problems for hiding, it also said that she was coming after them and she had the connections to do it. This definitely threw a wrench in the gears. And at this point, it would be easier to give the little brat to Itazura and just forget about the whole thing. But now that there was someone after him also, that wouldn't exactly be the safest thing… but… there was a small pang in his heart as the thought passed. As if he would feel guilty if he let the blonde go, because he felt responsible for him in a way…

Deidara cried softly, not making a noise as the warm drops hitting the puppeteer's lap soaked in. He was surprised that the redhead was letting him be so weak, and he was even more surprised when he felt a hand stroking his hair, letting him give a small sad smile. He could tell Sasori didn't really know how to comfort, so he probably just left the elder confused with the situation. Though, he wasn't doing a bad job actually. There were no words that could lighten the hollowness, but actions always spoke louder than words. He felt the hand stroking his hair and was almost ready to fall asleep with how comforting and protective it felt.

"Deidara, you have to tell me what happened, or I won't understand."

And so, Deidara explained all that he saw on the television downstairs, explaining greatly how he could tell she had saved up all her crocodile tears just for that one moment. After he was finished, there was only a moment of silence between them before there was a knock on the door.

"They know who I am… and they'll fear me for it." Deidara whispered.

"I doubt they will fear you. Cautious, possibly, but these people know how to handle themselves better than you might think." Sasori lifted the younger's head off his lap carefully and went over to answer the door to see Cherry.

"You knocked?"

"You locked your door?"

"Deidara did."

"Oh," she looked around his shoulder to see the blonde in a fetal position. "Figures. Can I talk to you outside?"

"Of course." Without glancing back, he stepped out into the hall shut the door close behind him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Let me ask first, did you know who that boy was?"

"He is the mayor's step son, that was one of the first things I learned about him."

"Then how-"

"-He's also a suicidal teen that happens to be my regular from work. Plus he's the one that destroyed the mayor's house last night, with my help of course." The redhead didn't let anything pass over him and his blank stare. If Cherry was going to play a game like she usually did, he was the one that was going to be in control.

The red haired girl gapped. "… You…? Sasori, you're gonna have to explain this to me."

"And why should I?"

"Because, the Kyoko received an invitation late last night from a man that works with the mayor. It was for them to attend a meeting. A meeting that also involves the Shukaku, Kinzoku o Korosu, Sozo-ryoku and the Gyakusatsu." Her expression deadly for once, she had just listed the most fierce and known gangs around for miles. Each having their own expertise, they were nothing to scoff at.

It took a second for Sasori to reason through his mind and decide it was best to tell her, since she had connections and could possibly get them some help if needed. And so he told her, everything from the brat's first call to the present. Leaving her gapping yet again down to the very end.

"Sasori, that is the most twisted thing you could possibly get into in this city! Not only are you messing with the most powerful woman that soon might run the entire state, but you may have the most deadly killers and gangs coming after you! What were you think?"

"That it seems my karma has come back to me." Leaning up against the door, he didn't let even a sliver of emotion through to his upper exterior, conscious that he might show weakness.

"I don't care about your past, Sasori. This is serious! That kid is a target for death, and you know it."

"With the way things have been going and what I have learned from the little information I have received, it seems I was the original target. And he was merely a draw out."

"You can't be sure of that."

"Actually, I can. And I know for a fact that someone from my past is somehow connected and is trying to find me through Deidara."

The younger girl sighed. "Then what do you expect to do?"

"Did the Kyoko except their invitation to this meeting?"

"No. They don't want anything to do with that woman."

"Shit… well it looks like we're gonna have to crash their little gathering."

"Is there any way I can stop you?"

"I doubt it."

The girl sighed again and leaned up against the wall opposite of Sasori's door. "I guess not then… At least this explains why you wanted to know why any slaves escaped recently… But did you ever check for a brand mark?"

"Brand mark?" This little phrase had caught his ear.

"Yeah. Major buyers usually have a brand mark to put on their property. Usually on the small of someone's back or thigh." She shrugged. "Seeing how I already have little pride unlike yourself, I'll admit Deidara is a fine catch. He would have gone for a high price, and since he looks like a girl most of the time with all of that make up on, there must have been tons of people wanting to buy him. So there's a good chance that he has a mark on him somewhere." She smiled lightly, showing an almost hidden prettiness come out from her light eyes.

Sasori smirked. Cherry had her moments, and they were good moments any human could appreciate. So he left her off on a break. "Thanks, I'll remember that. Do you know when they're having this meeting?"

"Tomorrow night. Would it be wrong for me to wish you good luck?"

"In this situation, you should wish anyone but me good luck."

Quickly snickering, she walked down the hall to go down the stairs. When her footsteps could no longer be heard, he reentered his home, a quick thought telling him to lock the door. Then being the first thing he noticed when he entered his house was the brat sitting on the couch looking zoned out.

It wasn't 'til he was standing right in front of the other did the blonde look up.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that I'm going to be the death of you, un." His voice was muffled and soft.

"Hmph. If you think that is truly true, then you by far underestimate me, Deidara."

Peeking up slowly, Deidara looked at the stern eyes of the puppeteer. The redhead in turn looked down at the sad eyes of the sculptor. A moment of silence passed between them, perhaps it was a moment of small acceptance or understanding, but neither ever knew.

But Sasori grew weary of the silence, and broke it with his rich voice.

"Did you hear the part about the brand mark?"

"Brand mark?"

"Cherry said that there might be a mark on you that could tell us who your owner is. Most likely on your back or thigh."

"Really…?"

"Yes, so take off your shirt and-"

"Hold it! The last time you told me to take off my clothes, I found things I didn't want to know about, un."

"And we might find another one, so what?"

"I'd… rather not know… at this point." He looked away from the others superior gaze.

"Well we have to. Now take off your shirt so we can get this over with."

"…"

"Would you rather have me take it off for you?"

His eyes widened and a small blush came over his cheeks as Deidara complied and took off his shirt, making the redhead chuckle. Most of the marks that covered the blonde's chest and arms were merely yellow smudges on his skin, but some of the more scaring prints were still red and were screaming out in remembrance. He flinched as that night came back with all too clear images and touches.

"Turn around, brat. It's your back we're checking, remember?"

"Un…" He turned around so he was facing the cushions instead of the elder.

Sasori drifted in thought for a second; staring at the tanned back of the teen, but when he managed to focus in, he found more fading bite and nail red spots. The puppeteer found himself tracing his fingertips over these marks and the other's spine. It was a marvel to him how soft the younger's skin was, maybe it was the fact that his own flesh was not like others, but it was such an odd thing; touching another being.

"Is there brand mark, hn?"

"Oh, no. Cherry also said they could of put the mark on your thighs."

"My thighs?" The blonde's cheeked turned a bright red as he moved his neck to look at the elder. "Um… I think I can check that myself, un…" And then he bounced off the couch and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

The redhead sighed. Deidara really was a childish brat.

Going into his kitchen, he got a glass of water and drank it calmly as he listened to the silence of his quaint little home. When he was done with his water, he went back into the living room to stand behind the couch just in time to see the brat come out of the bathroom with a solemn face.

"I didn't find a brand mark, only more hickeys, un." He said, his face in a half disgusted frown as he sat down on the couch right in front of Sasori. "It sickens me really, un… That I was so weak to let such a thing happen to me. It probably would have been more wise to have just run away four years ago instead of going through all of this, un…"

Maybe it was just intuition, but Sasori had a bad feeling where this conversation was leading.

"The day both my siblings died was the day my family broke apart. The connections that is, un. My older brother was a senior, and my younger sister was in her first year of middle school. I was sick and neither of our parents could go so my older brother was the only one that went to her dance recital. They both were killed on the way home, shot dead, un…"

Now he was sure this conversation was not going in a good direction.

"After they died, it seemed as if the entire world knew about it and decided to take pity on me and was instantly nice, turning me 'popular' over time, un. But after a while, I was known as the highest guy in school, but not one person noticed my existence. Even teachers would grade my papers improperly 'cause of Itazura, un."

It was getting worse. The way he spoke and his expression darkened a great deal.

"And now… I'm actually happy that I couldn't find a brand mark. That would of lasted for forever and would of scared, un. At least these will always go away eventually, but I will always have the memory, no matter wha-"

Deidara stopped. He had to. He was completely in shock.

Sasori couldn't stand the blonde's whining, so he did the only thing he could think of. Swiftly without making the air whistle, his fingertips came under the blonde's chin and lifted it up so the younger's neck was exposed.

This simple, quick and tingling movement already silenced the teen, but the redhead was quick to continue. In a split second, Deidara felt a pair of lips create contact with his neck. First they were soft to give a small peck to the sensitive skin, but then they bit down and twisted, making him lurch forward slightly. Then a tongue, warm and wet, came out to massage the skin in circles; sliding over the crevasses were teeth had already left marks.

Deidara didn't mean to. It just slipped out without him thinking about anything but the small moment. But he moaned, low and erotically so that it vibrated the air like a string bass.

It all ended so suddenly. The blonde knowing the scene had ceased when the soft lips left his flesh still connected by a small string of saliva that was broken after the elder let out a pant that echoed out with his. He knew his face was more ruddy then the other's hair, but he didn't mind so much, he was to entranced with his fluttering heart…

"There," Sasori said getting out his last pant. "Now when we go see your owner, you can show them that."

"U-un…!" Deidara had to look away, the smirking elder's gaze suddenly making him go crazy. But what kind of crazy? "So… what do we do next, hn? We can't just sit around and wait to be found." He pulled his legs up and crisscrossed them as the other came around to sit on the table in front of him.

"I don't know, feel like crashing a party of wanted killers and underlings?" A look of the devil came upon Sasori's face as an old excitement for bloodlust refilled his adrenaline. A similar look took over the blonde's face also.

"Like you said, don't know, un. Do we get to bring a few things with us to even out the playing field?"

"Of course. Considering the situation, I was thinking of bringing some of my special toys that are more... Artistic." A grin deceivingly charming appeared on the elder's face, making his regular grin mischievously in return.

"Hn? And what about me? Can I be a little more artistic also?"

"We can figure something out, since it is your step mother that has called this meeting."

"Good. I think it's time I showed my mommy, what I can really do, un."


	11. The Betrayer

**DISCLAIMER: As much as I wish. As much as I plead. As much as I beg on my knees! I will NEVER (sadly) own Naruto.**

**A/N: *Le sigh* my torture has begun and the only light I have is this story and your kind reviews. But no, I must say out of everything I do, writing is the only thing that really brightens my day. But I noticed a comment saying that my story is rated M and has been more rated T. Well, all I can say is I like a good build up and didn't really want to change the rating later on. So don't blame me or anything. And I can PROMISE you on all that is SASODEI that this story will get to the point of rated M! *wink wink nudge nudge* and when I swear on SasoDei, that is like the most serious promise I can make. Unless I swear on all that is BL, but dang… what kind of promise is needed for something as serious as that? Hmph…**

**But yes, my torture has started… band camp from 8-11:30 and tennis from 9-11. Both of them in the morning and both of them making me a sad sore author… T-T and yes they are at the same time but I have this stupid schedule that leaves me no time to breathe and well… That is basically why this chap took so long to make, so I apologize dearly. I wish more than anyone that I didn't have a life, but it is a sad reality…**

**From your tired and less than likely sane but has not been proven author-!**

**Teiden~**

DAY 10 – WEDNESDAY – 11:30 P.M.

"You got it?"

"Oh course, un."

"Alright. Then how about you repeat everything I just said." Sasori crossed his arms and looked at the blonde who didn't seem to be paying attention in the least.

"We go to where they're havin' this meeting, un. Crash it saying we're the Kyoko master leader person and listen to what they say. Find out what their plan is and if we're found out…" They both shared equal smiles of twisted amusement. "Then that's when things get real fun, un."

"You have the gist. But there is one small detail we have to add."

"What?"

"We can't be seen, especially you. The public now knows you're missing, and if anyone sees you with me, I turn into the suspected man."

"You _are_ the suspected man!" Deidara said grinning more then ever; quite wickedly at that.

"Yes, but no one else needs to know that."

"Fine. So what, we wear disguises or something, hn? That might get tricky."

"No, that would take to long and you have to much hair to mess with. So I decided we are going to travel in style." Chuckling, Sasori disappeared behind a door that was supposed to be a closet.

Deidara was sitting on the king sized bed that was in the master bedroom of the apartment. He had been peeved at the elder last night for not giving him a proper bed and making him sleep on the couch yet again. And now his irritation was re-lit upon seeing such a huge bed that grew more taunting by the second…

"Brat!" A voice that was both rough and booming made him jump.

When he regained himself, he saw a man wearing a black cloak with a piece of cloth covering his mouth. It took a second, but the blonde recognized this hunched over figure.

"Is that…? Hiruko, un?"

"Yes. The original as it happens. And this version," a large metal tail came up from under the cloak, leaving him gaping. "Is much more deadly."

"Sweet! So how does this work? I bet we hide behind a corner or something and make the puppet do all the talking, un."

"Not exactly. I work the puppet from the inside." From under cloak, a metal demon face appeared and rose up to show Sasori sitting in the front of the puppet. "And you'll be in here also." The redhead said now standing up and using his normal velvet voice compared to the ugly form he had risen from.

"Un… Will we both fit in there?"

"There is plenty of room for the both of us along with your clay and a few… extra things. But I doubt we'll need them. Hiruko isn't my favorite for nothing." The redhead patted the top of the wood head fondly, making the younger just the tiniest bit jealous.

"I still get the final blow, un."

This was not a simple phrase, or a question. This was a fact they both agreed on. If worst came to worst, Deidara's art was more suited to finish everything off. The only problem being was that Hiruko couldn't move that fast when they needed to escape, so they may just have to hide until morning if the situation came down to it. But, the redhead hoped, it wouldn't have to come down to any of that.

"Go get whatever amount of clay you'll needing, brat. We should be leaving soon."

"Yeah yeah Danna, I'll get on it, un." The blonde bounced off the bed and started for the door, but his elbow was grabbed.

"Since when did you start calling me 'Danna', brat?"

"Well you are my senior in art, so its fitting. Besides, it only means 'master' so it shouldn't be a problem," the blonde's eyes gleamed smugly. "And you seem to be the type who likes control anyway, un." The impish grin never leaving his face, Deidara left the room with the puppeteer sporting a frown of agitation.

"Does he also know it means 'husband'…? Stupid brat."

While the blonde gathered his needed items, the redhead checked himself for the supplies they also may need. His twin cutlasses were tucked away neatly in the front where he would be sitting. The storage compartment that held his major fire power was sealed perfectly with no way opening besides his own command. He also had two hand guns for the brat, he at least should know how to work a simple model, or at least the elder hoped. Now of course, all of these things were for if they were forced out of Hiruko. Though, that wasn't likely in the first place because this certain puppet had more tricks than a stripper in a whore house. But it was always good to be prepared.

"I think I have all I need, most of the things I'll be using have already be prepared in advanced. We ready to go Danna?" The younger reentered the room with two pouches connected to his pants, seemingly weighed down with wet clay.

Patting the two pouches, Deidara noticed the elder staring. "What?"

"You never did explain how you managed to turn your sculptures into bombs."

"Oh, that's easy. There are _some_ privileges as to being the mayor's son after all, and some of those privileges aren't very legal, un." He laughed. "I found a supplier that sold tiny bombs, about the size of a needle's head. They have about as much fire power as a firework, but when I mixed about a hundred of them into each bag of clay, and add gun powder… Its quite a result, un."

"You also said something… a word?" The other inquired further.

"Hn. There are two types of bombs I use with a certain type of clay. My clay is special you see, un. As soon as it dries, it condenses and takes form."

"That explains why you use your hand mouths, to keep it moist."

"Yup, and then there are two types of bombs I use. Some of them are pressure sensors that react once the clay dries and condenses, that's why I have to be quick. But the night we went to Itazura's… I used a different kind, un. They react to whatever word I set them on once the clay condenses. They're still pressurized, but this way, I can control them more accordingly, un."

"I see. So your hand mouths are needed either way and are very useful in this case. Plus you figured out a use for them that is convenient when using your resources. I must say I'm impressed Deidara, it seems you can think when needed. Even if it's about your petty and useless art."

"Ha! Yeah right, Danna! _My _art is petty? This coming from a narrow-minded man who believes in eternity, un." He rolled his eyes. "Only fools rely on the forever."

"What?" The redhead's fingers twitched and Hiruko's tail rose to his throat. "I do not rely on ever lasting time as it is, I _create_ it. All my art will last and will be remembered because it will always be there. You are the fool Deidara. What if I killed you right now? Would you consider your life art?"

Even with the tail dripping with an unknown poison, the blonde felt brave and showed his devious smile again. "I don't know about that, un. But I will say, if you did kill me, I'd have to many regrets of not killing Itazura, of not torturing the man that raped me, and for not showing you what my art is really worth, un. And I would not be a happy ghost if I died at this exact moment." He lightly pushed away the tail and went to stand inside the puppet behind Sasori. Though, shockingly, bravely and stupidly; he wrapped his arms around the elder's waist and propped his head up on his shoulder by his thick locks. "Besides, you would miss me to much, un."

The puppeteer glared. "Don't joke, brat. Why would I believe in ghosts?"

Only finding it slightly odd that Sasori didn't tell him to let him go, he smirked. "You're the one that that thinks things can last forever. Then what's so hard about believing in a never dieing spirit that has nothing better to do then bug his Danna, hn~?"

A low growl similar to a dog's came from the other's throat then, making the blonde let go. No matter how much fun it was to mess with the senior artist, there was a limit to everything thing… including life. Which made _his_ art right!

"Have you forgotten? It is because of you that I was dragged into this, so could you for once think a little more seriously?"

This did get the little brat to shut it possibly with guilt, even though Sasori knew it was he that got the blonde into the twisted plot, but he only wanted some quiet to think…

"Lets go."

"Un."

They both sat down and Hiruko shut, trapping the both of them in the enclosed space. It was silent, and Deidara could barely tell the piece of crap wood was moving. There wasn't much light, and there seemed to be no comfortable position that the blonde could decide on. So it didn't take long for boredom to take over.

"Do we even know where this place is?"

"Cherry gave me all the information she had, you shouldn't concern yourself."

"Un… So what do we say if someone talks to us?"

"Would you-"

"Sasori?" Two similar voices from outside of the puppet caught their ears.

"Who is it?" The younger started to peer over the elder's shoulder, causing a frustrated look to spread over the redhead.

"Its just the hags."

"Oh?"

"Sasori?" Nana Gem started. "Is Deidara in there also?" Nana Ha finished.

"Yup!"

"Unfortunately... This became our solution I guess you could say."

It was an peculiar thing this puppet. When the blonde looked over Sasori's shoulder and straight ahead, he could see outside like he really was the puppet. And as much as he thought the puppet was a hideous and useless piece of shit that should be burned, he did think it was kinda cool that he could see the two old woman as if it was out of his own eyes.

"I guess," said one of the old woman, him not being sure which one was which. "Well then I would suggest not talking at once. It looks like you have split personalities and that would not make a good impression in the least."

"Agreed," Sasori answered far to quickly. "Deidara, you're not aloud to talk for the rest of the night until we're in the clear."

Definitely to quickly… "But-"

"Shut it! Not another word! We're leaving."

Sasori's fingers started to twitch again, making that the end of the discussion. But Deidara hated this quiet. Usually when there was not a sound to be heard, he was distracted by the hollowness, so he never really noticed it. Though, now that he was stuck in a cramped space with the only person he had left in the world, he suddenly couldn't stand it. Ever since that night at Itazura's, even though he didn't notice it at first, there had been a different feeling that was fighting everything else inside. He couldn't recall ever taking notice to this odd and new sensation before, possibly because it was so light and warm that it could never possibly beat the heavy cold that lay on his heart. But he liked this feeling and the strange things it did to him, the only problem being was… it only appeared when he was around the elder.

Though he thought it completely out of the ordinary that it only showed its head when he was near Sasori, it was also convenient. He had been staying with the other for what now, three or four days? And it wasn't like he had any other place to go. So it did show up often, and the longer it stayed the more… _addicting_ it was.

And it was driving him pleasurably mad.

"Sasori no Danna, don't you think we stand out? In a crowd I mean, un."

"Didn't I tell you not to speak?"

"Can anyone hear us?"

"Not unless I let them."

"Then don't."

Sighing, the elder made a motion with his fingers that looked like he was about to snap, but no sound came. "What?"

"I asked if we would stick out in a crowd, un."

"Brat, I work with a giant talking fish and a man that is held together by stitches. I think we will be fine."

"There's more suicide hotline operators, hn? Who would of guessed, and here I thought I was special."

"Hmph, in a city this big, there's bound to be more cowards like you that want to kill themselves. You just happened to turn into my regular by misfortune."

"A… Regular?"

"Its someone who repeatedly calls your line. My co-workers also have regulars, I think their names are Itachi and Hidan."

"Wait..." Deidara blinked, not fond of coincidence at all. "Itachi Uchiha and... Hidan Yagukura, un?"

"You know them?"

"They were my brothers friends, and I think both of them go to the community college that's within the city limits, un. They were definitely… different, I'll give them that."

"From what I heard, they certainly have character."

"That's a good way to put it." The younger chuckled. "Do you think-"

"Quiet, I see the building… You can't say anything while we're inside. If you have to tell me something you remember or such, get my attention first. Got it?"

"Un." Nodding solemnly, he knew he would abide.

A few seconds passed and they stopped, and a voice that was unknown and deep beat down against the wood.

"Where do you think you're going gramps?"

"Watch your tongue you sniveling little underling," Sasori spoke calmly while focusing on how to move the tail. It came up from under the cloak and started to move around a large man's bald head; pointing right in between his eyes. "I am the master of they Kyoko. So do not take me so lightly when you're just as replaceable as a glass."

"Now, now." A new man that was taller and had a calm expression on appeared in the doorway. "We never expected the master of Kyoko group to come to our little gathering. You rarely ever return any of our invitations and if you ever do come, you send someone else. Would you mind coming this way dear sir?" The man stepped aside, showing the way in. Sasori made the puppet move slow, mostly because a new, dull man appeared to led the way down the dim hall that was almost impossible to see. The building they had entered was dirty itself and must have been abandoned years ago. It was on the darkest side of town and looked like it could fall apart at the slightest touch.

"In here." The bland and very boring man that had led them to a new door; opened it to show a new room that was lit by small lamps that were connected to the cracking wall. A large round table with three men and a woman sitting around it, Sasori easily identifying them.

The woman had blonde put up in a messy bun and was wearing a black revealing top with booty shorts. She was the leader of the Shukaku. The man on her left was straight Asian with a blue kimono type outfit, he was also smoking something from a very long pipe. He was the leader of the Sozo-ryoku. The man across from him was more stern but still edgy. He wore a torn up black cloak along with a top hat with his solid hair flowing out along his neck. He was the leader of the Kinzoku o Korosu. Lastly, the man next to him was huge and was wearing a ripped tank top to show off his muscles. This man was the leader of the Gyakusatsu.

All of them probably having more deaths on their heads than the redhead himself, he felt sickened if estimated the number of lives that were lost at the hands of all five of them.

"Ah, Kyoko-san." The leader of the Sozo-ryoku noticed him enter first. "I'm honored to finally meet you. My name is Shin, we can supply what ever medicine you need."

"I'm Bambi, all of us know you mostly keep to yourself, but if you ever want some… dancers maybe, or perhaps some playmates, I'm your gal." The blonde woman smiled and winked.

"Knowing your reputation… It seems you do find just by yourself but if you ever need some artillery, we would love to oblige. My name is Gly." This man tipped then put back on as a polite gesture.

"Thank you for offers," Sasori started. "But none of that is needed. As you said, we get by just fine by doing special hired jobs that require our… certain services." He chuckled, leaving the four in front of him a little more light hearted.

"Well now that everyone is here, lets get started." A man stepped out of the shadows, catching them all by surprise. He was tall and lean, with silver white hair that almost touched his shoulders and gold eyes that gleamed happily.

Deidara knew this man, he could see his face by looking over the redhead's shoulder. This man, he was with Itazura the night he was kidnapped, he was the handsome one. But there was something else…

Sasori also felt he knew the man, but couldn't recall anything specific. This put him on edge, and hated that he couldn't bring anything to the front of his mind immediately. So he stared intently on the man, and focused wearily.

"Its so nice that everyone could come, including you Kyoko-san. So I guess this means you have taken an interest in the situation?" The man leaned his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands; smiling vaguely all the same.

"More or less." Sasori replied. "I am more concerned if things are going to require hostility to the point of drawing attention outside of our domains. In which case, we may choose to move on as we often do."

"Ah, so its true about you and your followers... you travel all over the world, never staying in one place for to long." Bambi gave a small smile and snickered to look back to the man.

"Now why would things grow bigger than they already are?" The gold eyes blinked innocently.

"You are trying to fool use with the situation at hand. Itazura is running for governor and has already started campaigning for the fall voting. Investigations will rise, tabloids, gossip of how she runs the city. She can't get rid of all of her opponents. And who says no one will come to kill her? If she requires for our assistance as she has done in the past, it could lead to war."

Deidara had to applaud the elder for the small speech he had just given. He was trying to get them to doubt, or even better, become paranoid so they wouldn't assist in any of the matters. Clever…

"That is a very good point Kyoko-sama." Gly smiled. "What do you have to say to that? I personally think that woman is far to troublesome to be helping with such simple matters."

The man chuckled heartedly with a wild grin and lazy stare. "You all have your own reasons for being here, but never understood the full situation. Itazura is not using me, I am using her. And I would like to _present_ my little scheme."

Hell froze over.

That one word the man had spoke, made Deidara stiffen. That word... With a small shiver of fear going up his spine, he pulled at Sasori's shirt so hard it almost made the other fly back.

"What brat?"

"That man," Deidara's eyes widen as it all came back slowly, not even wondering if the people on the outside of their shell could hear them. "I wasn't sold."

"What?"

"That man, his name is Uragirimono, and he took me away. He was the one that raped me, un."

The redhead's eyes widen slightly. "Are you sure?"

"Kyoko-sama?" A voice from outside the puppet called him back, leaving no time for Deidara to reply.

"Yes, what?" Sasori looked over to Shin who was the one that had spoken.

"Do you think we should listen to him?" The Gyakusatsu leader asked, speaking for the first time that night.

"Not all of our situations are the same, but considering that we all came here for a reason, I think we should listen to what he has to say." Was his reply.

"My my," the gold eyes of Uragirimono bat slowly. "You three, Shin, Gly and Gyakusatsu-san, remind me of the Three Men of Gotham. That should be your roll from now on." He smiled at the men who all gave him quizzical looks. "But you Kyoko-san, I like you. Witted and smart, those are good qualities that I admire."

"You flatter."

"Not at all. But here is my little side of the world. I am looking for someone, an old and dear friend of mine. I know he is in this city, and I have already sent him a little present to show him that I am here also. But he is very clever and deadly skilled and the most erratic person I've ever known. Help me find him, and I'll get rid of that blasted woman for good."

"Tch!" Bambi spat. "What makes you think you can take out that daughter of a bastard? Many have tried, none have had success."

"Yes, but I am the loin and she is the unicorn. You have nothing to worry about."

"Stop with these games!" The Gyakusatsu leader slammed his fists on the table, making it shake and almost fall to pieces at the legs.

"They are not games, they are rhymes. But we could play a game if you like! I have some dice right here, lets have Shin-san go first." Uragirimono handed the Asian man three odd dice and stood back to watch.

"I've always found games interesting." Shin smiled and rolled the dice, the white haired man looking over his shoulder.

"You got a two, that is quite something to ponder about." The mans face was blank, but his yellow eyes smiled.

"Eh? Why is that?"

"Because this means you will have some luck, but what kind? Good or bad?"

"I wouldn't mind either one!" The two men laughed, only to be interrupted by another slamming fist.

"Wait a minute!" Bambi yelled and glared at the two men. "How can he get a two with three die?"

"These die are special. Each one only has a certain amount of numbers, but no matter what you roll, you will never get more than ten. How about you go next Bambi-chan?" He gave the die to her and smiled.

"I don't know… I'm still mad at you for not getting me that new slave a few days back."

Deidara flinched inside the puppet, suddenly having the feeling he was supposed to be that slave...

"But what harm could it do?" She rolled them with the man again looking over her shoulders.

"You got eight! What a lucky girl you are."

"Why? What does it mean?"

"It can either mean heaven or a wish. Probably the best roll you can get, in my view."

"Ha! See that fella's? I'm goin' to heaven!"

"Yeah right!" The Gyakusatsu leader snarled at the woman. "You'll probably just get your wish and get that slave you wanted."

Her only reply was sticking out her tongue.

"Then how about you, give it a roll?" The white hair man placed the dice in the much larger and beefier hand with a simple smile.

"Fine! Lets see what your magic dice say for me!" He rolled, and Uragirimono gave a cat like smile for just a mere second, then it passed.

"Six, that means gold, which-"

"Ha yourself bitch! I'm going to be rich while you rot!'

Her reply was again her tongue sticking out.

"What about you Gly-san? Want to see what fate will have in store?"

"A gentleman's curiosity is never ceased." The top hat man grabbed the dice and rolled them with a sly hand.

"Oh, what a curious outcome!" The gold eyes again shinned, only more playfully this time.

"What?"

"You rolled a four. Which means either death or birth. But it could mean either because life is a cycle."

"Or it means I over used one of my servants." He sighed. "Because there is no possible way for me to die so soon in against this gun filled world. No has ever gotten the best of me and no one ever will."

"Hm. Now what about you Kyoko-san? What to see what is meant for you?"

While they had been playing their little game, neither of the two artists could take their eyes off the man before them. Deidara was filled with nothing but hate as he looked at the man who took his innocence. But Sasori was quite perplexed. He understood direly that this man, Uragirimono, was talking about him. But why was this man looking for him? And why did he call him an 'old friend' earlier...?

"Well?"

Sasori made the wood, but human looking arm, come out to grab the die and make them roll across the table. Watching them carefully the entire time as they danced to the center of the circular wood, the number being he rolled, nine.

"Ah, very nice Kyoko-san. That roll is second to only mine."

"And what exactly does it mean to you?" The redhead raised an eyebrow that was invisible to everyone except the blonde.

"Well, it can mean two things really. Just like Bambi-chan's. As it is widely known, nine is the number commonly associated with hell."

"Me connected to hell is not a misled connection." Sasori spoke in his normal smooth voice without showing any sign of emotion as usual, but this phrase almost made the blonde deflate to a certain extent.

"Ah, but it also can mean a kiss. Or if you read deeper into it, love, passion and lust. Looks like something, or _someone _is coming your way, Kyoko-san…"


	12. Halfway There

**I'M HONESTLY SORRY TO SAY THIS CHAPTER WAS SCREWED UP, AND I'M WORKING ON RETYPING IT FROM MEMORY. BUT SO NO ONE IN PASSING IS CONFUSED FROM GOING FROM CHAPTER TO CHAPTER, THE GIST IS...**

* * *

**SASORI AND DEIDARA TAKE ON THE GANG LEADERS. WHILE DOING SO DEIDARA COMES TO URAGIMONO AND POINTS OUT TO HIM HE CAN'T POSSIBLE BE NOTHING TO SASORI SINCE HE'S HELPING HIM (WHETHER DEIDARA IS SAYING THIS TO REASSURE HIMSELF OR NOT HE ISN'T QUITE SURE). HE THEN RUNS BACK TO SASORI AND THEY ESCAPE INTO THE NIGHT, BLOWING THE WAREHOUSE UP. UPON COMING BACK TO THE APPARTMENT, DEIDARA SNEAKS INTO TO SASORI'S BED (UNSUCESSFULLY, BUT THE REDHEAD LETS HIM STAY ANYWAY WITHOUT SAYING A WORD) BECAUSE HE HATES SLEEPING ON THE COUCH. AND FOR A MOMENT, DEIDARA QUIETLY WHISPERS:**

**WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS DANNA...?**

**SASORI HEARS HIM, BUT HE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW HIMSELF.**

* * *

**ANYWAY I'M HOPING THE CHAPTER WILL BE UP SOON, SO PLEASE FORGIVE THIS MISTAKE!**

**TEIDEN**


	13. The Heart's Balancing Act

**DISCLAIMER: Guys… I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE TIME TO MAKE AN AMAZING MANGA SUCH AS NARUTO!**

**A/N: *See's the reviews… then faints making writing buddy FO splash water on me* THANK YOU! Thanks to everyone that reviewed and everything! 100+ reviews is something I never expected when I started this story and I'll tell you all now, there is plenty more to come with this story line plot cause its just now picking up. And there will be no more OC's in this story, the rest of the characters that will be introduced will already have been created by someone else by this time through.**

**But did you guys see what I did with one of the new characters that appeared? (Hint hint: the newest first introduced character in the last chapter was not my OC!)**

**Now! From your very pleased and over whelmed author!**

**Teiden~**

DAY 11 - THURSDAY - 2:00 P.M.

Deidara woke up feeling both warm and cool at the same time. When he opened his eyes just a little, he saw he wasn't on the couch, but then he remembered Sasori let him stay in the king sized bed. Opening his eyes a little more, he was struck with horror. He was laying right up against Sasori's chest, so he prayed that the elder wasn't awake with all his might. Though… as long as he didn't move… he decided that he let himself take in a small moment of indulgence. He quickly memorized the scent of his Danna, locking in the smell of wood and a bitter spice, but then a slight stir from the elder and he sat up like a shot.

"Brat, what are you doing?" The redhead also sat up holding his head with an annoyed expression.

"Oh, you woke up that fast Danna, un?"

"I didn't fall asleep, thinking I guess." He groaned out.

"I see…" Deidara said feeling his cheeks grow warm. "What were you thinking about, hn?"

"Mostly about that man, Uragirimono. I can't figure it out but his presence is a hindrance in more ways than one. It be best to get rid of him before he gathers up those four up again." This was partly a lie, and an excuse. Sasori had been thinking about that man slightly, but he had also been thinking about Deidara most of the night, it all falling around the question of what the blonde really meant to him. Finding his truthful answer horrendous…

"But shouldn't they be dead? My art is far more superior to their lives, un."

"As much as that maybe true, no matter how simple minded your 'art' is, they are professionals in their field. They all are probably alive and planning on their own, but if he gathers them up, we're in trouble."

"Un… I don't like him either. I saw him on the way back down stairs to you and I showed him the mark on my neck, and his face was priceless, un." The blonde smiled lightly at the strange memory that actually only happened less than twenty-four hours ago.

"That reminds me…"

Deidara felt cool hands wrap around his waist to be pulled into the elder's lap. His chin was lifted yet again like the first time, only this time he consciously leaned up against the broad and strong chest. Soft lips encased the small area of skin and then started to suck it gently, and it took him all his might not to make a sound. It was a warm moment of happiness for the most part, until the puppeteer finally gave a sharp nip to end it all.

"There, that one should actually last you longer than the last." Sasori said after he caught his breath.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Deidara inquired, careful to make sure his voice was a monotone the whole phrase.

"Anything that annoys that man is something worth doing." Sasori pushed the brat off his lap and then went to his closet to look through his clothes; this action distracted him from doing anything that was beyond his limits. Finding what he needed after digging deep into the back, he threw the clothing at Deidara, who caught them by reflex.

"What are these?"

"They're clothes brat. You said it yourself, the only thing you have left is me and what I offer." Smirking, he left the room to start brewing the coffee he figured they both needed and started to plan the day.

"Danna, un!" Deidara yelled from the other room as he started to fill the filter. "What the hell kinda clothes did you give me?" The brat ran out of the bedroom and into the kitchen wearing a white blouse, a black skirt and dark leather boots.

"Hmph, very stylish brat."

"Why do you even have these?"

"I did a showing with some female puppets that were required to have a certain attire."

"So why did you give me a skirt and blouse, un?"

"Because we're going shopping."

"So that means you have to dress me like a girl, un…" Deidara had lost his anger, and was merely annoyed with the impassive face of Sasori that gave nothing away to what was truly in his evil mind.

"You still can't be seen by the public, and shopping would be an inconvenience in Hiruko, so if we just change your image a little, we should be fine unless someone knows your looks personally."

"But…"

"Just drink your coffee so we can get going." Sasori handed the younger a hot cup of bitter liquid and went to go get dressed himself, and to let his own cup cool. When he came back, he was wearing a red button down with black dress pants and shoes. But when he reentered the kitchen, Deidara blinked wide with a small pink blush for some reason. "What?" He inquired to the taken aback teen.

"It just… suits you, un." The blonde leaned back against the counter top shyly and started to sip his coffee again looking the other way. Simply raising an eyebrow to his regular, they drank their coffee in a weird silence. After that, they headed out the building only to run into Cherry who had Meme in one hand and Tomo in the other.

"Oh, going out… hopefully to get more stuff for Deidara?" Cherry held in a snicker, but the two children didn't know anything of courtesy, so they laughed and giggled at the grimacing Deidara.

"You are a sick and twisted bastard you know that, un?"

"And don't you forget it brat," the puppeteer smirked as he watched the three head up the stairs to the next level. "That reminds me…" The taller man carefully placed his hand on top of the golden locks and undid the red clasp, letting his fingers flow through the falling hair as it fell down the other's back. "It does help that you wear makeup, but with your hair down, you could pass for a girl any day."

"Is that supposed to be a complement, un?"

"Take it as you please, now let's go." Sasori walked out the building and turned left down the street with Deidara tow, the both of them never looking back to Cherry who finally burst with laughs.

They were heading to the better part of town, where the small shops were. The first thing they did was buy new clothes for Deidara, which he enjoyed very much. Mostly because it gave him an excuse to show off and try them on for his Danna. His favorite had to be when he tried on a pair of skin tight jeans that made the seemingly annoyed redhead blush, much to his pleasure. It was odd though, but the hollowness didn't bother him once and the warm feeling he now knew to be attraction always seemed to be there. But it was nice, Sasori was the first one to actually care for his wellbeing it seemed, for the elder always scolded him. He could almost say it was… fun in a way, to be this close to someone he truly liked. But then he remember, Sasori no Danna was only doing this under the circumstances and not by choice. Any such feelings he held would most likely never be returned… but even still, Deidara did have a little bit of hope in his heart…

When they came out of the last clothing shop, Deidara was carrying two bags and the redhead one. They strolled around town, enjoying the currently clear skies; that is until the blonde noticed an ice-cream stand.

"Can we get some, un?"

"You want ice-cream to be the first thing we eat?"

"Why not?"

The elder sighed halfheartedly and nodded. "Fine, but nothing else."

So they both got a double scoop ice cream cone. Deidara getting mint and chocolate and Sasori getting vanilla and strawberry. The blonde was proud of his ultimate retort working, knowing the elder probably felt like he was dealing with a little kid. He didn't care though, ice cream was ice cream and a win was a win.

After that, they just walked around for a while, looking around at all of the different shops. But it was when they passed an art shop that they both decided to go inside and take a look, and though he hated wearing a skirt, being surrounded by familiar things brightened the blonde's mood, Sasori even let him buy more clay to solve him from boredom in the future, but he mainly thought it was just so he wouldn't bug the elder.

When it was around seven in the evening, they started home through the crowds, only for the younger to hear a familiar voice from behind…

"Deidara…? Deidara! Deidara!"

The blonde didn't turn around. He knew it was his 'girlfriend' that was trailing behind and was trying to catch up.

"Who is that girl?" Sasori spoke to him while looking straight ahead.

"A bitch that I need to kill, un…"

"Its me, Brie! Your girlfriend!" She continued to yell.

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Sasori no Danna, I would rather be fucked down to hell before I call that bitch my girlfriend, un. Now let's go…" Deidara could not look the redhead in the eye, for his remorse would show through to easily. He didn't want to be reminded of the life he once had; the one that was filled with sorrow. He wanted to forget everything about that life and start all over again. But he knew that would never happen as long as he was near Sasori, he knew, he could feel it. The redhead was technically apart of it all now, of his life. And now with heart in knots… a new torture would never stop, the torture of heartbreak…

"She's still following us, what do you suggest?" Sasori's voice called him out of his daze and back to their current reality, which at hand turned him bitter.

"Her death…"

"Not in this crowd, any other ideas?"

"Nothing non-lethal, un."

"Then run."

"U-un…?"

"Move brat!" Sasori grabbed his hand and started to sprint. Normally, he would be able to keep up somewhat, but the bags in his hand along with the boots and skirt made it much more difficult then it needed to be. Plus the staring eyes and mass amount of people did not make it easy to maneuver.

"Deidara! Stop or I'm calling my father!" Brie screamed not far behind them.

"Why would she call her father?" Sasori looked back to the struggling and stumbling teen who's hand was in his grasp.

"Shit, move faster, her dad is the head of the police for the city, un."

"I'm not the one that needs to move faster."

The redhead tightened his grasp and now sprinted, Deidara struggling to keep up. The crowd now moved out of their way, but they were now drawing more attention, causing problems. Soon they started to hear whistles and sirens not far behind them, most definitely from the police. Shouts, yells and screaming threats were now all that could be heard. It seemed the entire town was after them, and they couldn't keep running forever, especially with his regular barely keeping up in a skirt. So he made a desperate move. Turning a sharp corner into a dark alley, Sasori slid down the wall holding Deidara tight to his chest and bringing them both into the shadows, his hand covering the other's mouth so neither of them made a sound. The noises soon passed and they were left in the calm of the alley way, panting.

It took a second, but Sasori started to notice that his arms were still around Deidara's waist, and the blonde was even holding onto him slightly as he tried to catch his breath. The younger was sweaty, flushed and out of breath, but for some reason Sasori oddly admitted to himself; Deidara looked ambiguously hot at the moment.

"Danna…" The other panted out. "I don't… have a girl-… friend, un."

"Well she… seemed eager enough… to get to you."

The blonde saddened at these words. Letting himself relax, he leaned in fully against the puppeteer and stopped panting, but still breathed deeply. "Most of my life for the past couple years has been a lie, un. Including my home, friends and social status… they were created by sick and ignorant minds. That girl, Brie, was probably one of people I actually hated the entire time; she always made me feel insecure or numb, un. But now I feel…" He made his sentence trail off on purpose, feeling the void memories along with the overwhelmingly pleasant moment made him unsure what to say.

"Safe." Sasori knew he was right when he finished the phrase, for he could see a small curve upwards in the corners of the brat's mouth.

"Yeah… safe, un…" Deidara fell asleep at that, being tired from the serious run and all the walking they had done; leaving the elder to the same thoughts he had the previous night.

When he had woken up that morning, he had told the brat that he had been thinking about Uragirimono and the inconvenience his presences caused to the situation, but this was barely half true. He was actually wondering why he was doing all of this just for Deidara, who had not even known for two weeks. He would not lie to himself and say it was merely a feeling of responsibility, the situation had become more complex than that, thus more depth. How it all started was him getting a call from a depressed teen, now it had taken so many turns that the original scenario no longer stood in play. But truthfully, now that he thought about it, it was all his fault that Deidara was in such a dangerous situation. It was all because of his blurry past that seemed determined not to come back to his mind's eye.

Though, now that he was in this position at the current moment, with the blonde in his arms, it was very hard to deny anything at all. The warmth he felt. The peace that calmed him. The closeness of another human. It was all so delicate and tempting to do something wrong… oh so wrong. Another thing he had found to his astonishing horror that night in his thoughts, was that he cared. He _cared_ about Deidara way more then he probably should; to the point it was almost disturbing to him. It was even more shocking that he even _could_ care about something other than his priorities. But, all the same, it was also heart tearing at the same time. He knew Deidara was only using him in a sense of convenience, nothing more, nothing less…

They stayed like this for hours, Deidara's steady breathing keeping Sasori calm in his thoughts while he stroked the blonde locks that glowed in the orange and red sunset now going behind the buildings. It was a while before the younger woke up, batting his eyes jadedly at the feeling of a comforting pet on the top of his head.

"Danna, un…?"

"Are you awake now?"

"I guess… what time is it?"

"By the time we get back to the apartment, it'll be dark."

"Un…" Deidara nuzzled his head on Sasori shoulder, not quite awake yet. "Can we stay here 'til it's night? It'll be safer, un."

"I guess." Sasori was not exactly sure about how safe anything could be any more. Though he was prepared to kill every second of the day, a trail of blood was not something they needed following them.

"Good…" Deidara scooted up and nuzzled in closer to the elder. He figured his feelings would never be returned, but he could live on these small moments, where his Danna allowed him a small bit of kindness or weakness. He could suffer through heart break, as long as he was by Sasori.

Thinking this, the blonde wondered how far he had fallen, and when exactly did he trip? The second one was easy to answer though, he didn't notice it at first, but he had been entranced when he had first opened his eyes from a drug filled coma, the redhead being the first thing he saw. But was that all it took, one glance? No, that wasn't true, he had seen the elder at the art exhibit, this wasn't a 'teenage love at first sight' thing. No, all it took was for some to be real. For someone to act like he was alive. That was all it probably took, but now he regretted it all. Because with this feeling, there could only be hurt…

Neither of them moved until the moon was high above their heads, even then it took the redhead more time than needed to get the younger stirring. But they moved down the street, Sasori making ghost like movements and Deidara still despising his skirt and boots with all of his might. But when they got to the last corner before the street of their home, the elder puppeteer stopped and slid against the wall. Just looking around the very side of the corner of the brick building he was by, he could see red and blue lights flashing right down the road.

"Come on, we're taking the alleyway back." Sasori grabbed Deidara by the elbow and dragged him behind the narrow space. When he recognized the needed door, he slipped in with the brat close behind.

"Sasori!" Cherry approached him quickly out of breath as she entered the kitchen the attendants shared. "How did the police know Deidara was here? We're stalling them but it's not gonna be much longer 'til they break the door down. What happened?"

"Apparently a girl Deidara knew is the daughter of the police chief. She saw through his disguise and got us chased; we've been hiding since."

"I see… well, you can't stay here."

"That I know; where it is we go I have no idea."

"Well…" she sighed, "There is only one place in this entire city that I can think of that is safe for you guys. And besides, I know some of the people there are dying to meet you both, so I guess I can take you there…"

Deidara raised an eyebrow. "And where would this be, hn?"

The female redhead smirked. "Where they Kyoko reside of course."

The blond froze. The Kyoko, the fifth of the most deadly gangs would be a safe place to hide, but why would these people want to meet them? And was it really their only choice to hide with killers? He knew he had dragged Sasori onto thin ropes but… was it really worth both their safety to go to these people…?

"I'm the only one on the outside that knows where they are, and you guys should be fine for a while. But before I take you there…" She shifted her gaze to the blonde. "Deidara, change your clothes."


	14. A Misunderstood Rain

**DISCLAIMER: *Yawns* I guess if I have to say it so you all will be pleased, I don't own Naruto or anything 'cept the plot and OC's. **

**A/N: I made the tennis team! Its only JV but I'm only a freshman so I'm glad I just made the team. But now that I have made it and I'm secure in band, I can relax a little and type some more, does that make you guys a little happy? Or maybe your just happy I'm not going to be whining as much, either way, I can slow down and type more chapters that are maybe a little bit longer, that all sound good?**

**But I think you guys are going to love this chapter. I put so much work into it that I would be shattered if I found even one mistake I missed in editing (which i probably will later because I'm an idiot like that)... I put every bit of detail and emotion I could pour into one single chapter that I want just fall into it all. I love writing so much and this is one of the rare moments that I find something I am truly proud of creating that I actually didn't go half assed on. So I hope with all of my very irritable heart that all of you guys like this chapter!**

***sighs and hugs the first random person I see* Damn… I'm in the mood for a giant ten thousand calorie fattening cinnamon roll… Better go make some and then drown it in icing! And maybe I'll share the rest…**

**From your very hungry and Super Mario addict author-!**

**Teiden~**

DAY 11 - THURSDAY - 10:52 P.M.

Deidara changed his clothes to something of Sasori's, a simple pair of pants and button down shirt. They had dropped their bags of clothes when running, so the blonde could not wear his new skinny jeans that he had liked so much. Cherry even agreed that it didn't seem his style to wear such clothes like the ones he was wearing now. But his clothes were the least of they worries. Even from the top floor they could hear the mixture of police voices along with Nana Ha, Nana Gem and Clouw who were stalling as long as they could. But even still, with the shouts and accusations at full blast, the blonde could still pick out Brie's high voice from anywhere. It was like sharp nails on a chalk board as she screeched out his name from below, all the while causing both the artists to become irritable.

"Come on, its gonna take us a long time to get there and the police will figure it out eventually, so lets get moving… But follow me quickly." Cherry swiftly took the two of them down onto the second level and to her own apartment. As soon as she opened the door, Meme popped up with her pigtails down and with two large black hooded cloaks in hand.

"It started to rain again, so you'll have to share one of these, cause me and Meme will be taking this one." Cherry tossed one of the black cloaks to Sasori and then swung the other one around her shoulders to pick up the little girl in her arms.

"We have to share?" Sasori raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, they're pretty big so you'll both fit. But someone will have to officially wear it and then cover the other person up. It may get pretty tight when we go through the allies, so be prepared for that. But I guess the both of you will have to live through his dreadful night."

The artists both nodded to her words; all the same wondering if they could manage themselves.

"Good, now lets go."

Cherry started ahead as Sasori slung the cloak around his own shoulders, surprised that the brat didn't question him for being the one to wear it. But Deidara followed loyally behind him, not uttering a word as they went down the stairs and carefully out the lobby and into the kitchen to head out the door into the now pouring sky; the rain would deffinitely cause problems. The girl in front of them nodded her head and stepped off the safety of the small stoop with her hood now up and Meme in her arms; turning left down the narrow dark path behind the buildings. The redhead followed in these actions, putting up his own hood and grabbing the edge of the cloak to cover Deidara as he moved closer under the cloth shield.

Cherry had been right when she said it was going to be a tight squeezed at some points, the both of them could barely fit down the medium sized way shoulder to shoulder. And with the rain coming down harder and harder with lightning and thunder right above them, Deidara felt as if he would trip at any second. And for some reason, the blonde also felt as if he would fall asleep while walking, even though he had taken a small nap after they had run away the police the first time. Still, for some reason, he was still tired.

Then came their first turn. It was a snug squeeze for Cherry to move down the straight tight space, so there was no way the both of them were going to fit down that way. So they waited for the girl to get to the other end so they could figure something out, nothing really coming to mind as a solution. Finally when she turned around to see if they had not followed her, she sighed and cupped her free hand over her mouth; she didn't dare set Meme down on inch high water that was still rising with the continuous rain.

"Turn sideways and hold on to each other and just slide though as best as you can." Was all advice she had to give.

They both turned to each other, silent. But, Deidara nodded shyly and turned sideways, the elder mimicking his actions as he wrapped his arms around puppeteer with the other doing the same. Not only was redhead's closeness soothing, but it also seemed careful, so he was surprised when the taller man craned his head over his to block the rain further. And as they started to moved slowly once again, step by step along the close walls, the blonde was thankful for the darkness, because now no one could see his saddening look as his gaze shifted down with a pink blush; his head resting on Sasori's shoulder.

As soon as they were free of the tight spacing of the long walls, the redhead let go of the younger quickly, just incase the other thought it strange that he was holding on tighter than needed. They moved through the rain quietly, trying not to splash and slosh through the rising water. Now with a little more elbow room, it was only inconvenient when they encountered bent trash cans and falling apart boxes that were tipped over. Still they moved, the only significant sound was an occasional sneeze from the smaller girl up ahead that was still in Cherry's arms. Then, after around two hours, they started to go up hill with the rain now coming down harder then ever and the now slippery ground starting to make it difficult to move.

When they were half way up the dark grey path, Deidara tripped on a piece of water lodged cardboard. Expecting to hit the ground with a harsh impact, he closed his eyes tight. But his knees only half buckled and hovered the running water. Noticing his elbow had been jerked up to hold him in place, he opened his eyes and looked up. And he saw Sasori staring down at him with an aloof gaze. The puppeteer pulling him up quickly on his own two feet, Deidara felt like a burden.

"I-I'm sorry Danna, I just slipped is all, un…" He looked down, not able to take the cold eyes.

"Don't apologize brat, we can rest once we get to the top of this hill, Meme is probably down to her limit by now." Sasori started to move again after he spoke, Deidara having a small amount of trouble keeping up.

When they got to the top, they found two large green dumpsters that were closed. Cherry nodded to Sasori and the redhead nodded back. The girl taking action first, she wrapped her cloak around herself completely so it almost looked like she wasn't there, blending in with the dim. But then she squatted slightly and jumped high to land on the dumpster. The way she landed was using the bottom of the cloak as a place to sit on with the rest of it to still use as a shield; Meme was now in her lap with a bright nose and flaming cheeks.

Deidara knew that one of them was going to get wet. There seemed to be no way that the elder could get both of them up there without doing so. But the next couple of actions from his Danna surprised him. Sasori spun the large cloak around the both of them so it was almost like a quick umbrella, then grabbing him by the waist, the redhead jumped up to land in the center of the dumpster with his legs crossed and the blonde sitting in his lap. Not a drop of rain had reached either of them.

"How did you do that?" Deidara looked in wonder as Sasori craned his head yet again to block the rain and cover the both of them up more securely, all the while the elder's arms wrapped around his waist and shut the cloak like a curtain.

"I told you brat, I'm strong."

The blonde couldn't help his mouth as it gapped. Though he couldn't see his Danna's face very well, he could see the relaxed gleam as the redhead closed his eyes, and the smallest smile that ever could be visible showing through to the emotionless exterior of the puppet master. This expression… must have been the rarest thing Deidara had seen from his elder.

"But… Can't we just go down by the side of the dumpster, un? It will block the rain and there is a curb." He spoke loud enough to go over the sound of the rain, but nothing more than that. Then hearing the elder's annoyed sigh, he felt the arms around his waist tighten and the air swoosh around him; he closed his eyes by reflex this time, afraid to feel pain when they landed. But when the ground was reached with a soft thud, he could only feel the redhead's lap once again, they're feet splashing silently in the thin layer of water. And when the other finally arced their head over his smaller figure to block any rain that got past the large trash can yet again; he couldn't help but relax fully in those arms that seemed so protective…

"There, are you happy brat?"

"I guess, I-"

"Shh!"

At first, neither of them weren't sure if the sound last created came from the spray of water off a car, or someone else, because it certainly wasn't them that had created it. But then Sasori remembered that Cherry was with them also. The both of them looking up at the top of the other garbage container where the girl's glare caught their eyes.

"Be quiet!" She whispered harshly. "Meme fell asleep."

The redhead's eyes wandered to the small figure that was wrapped in the other cloak with Cherry, sound asleep.

"You know…" Cherry started to pet Meme's head fondly as she started to reminisce. "The night I found her… it was very similar to this one, almost exactly, actually. Sasori…you know of my past as a cat burglar, right…? Well… I was running from the police when it was raining. I happened to turn down an empty street that was really a dead end. And at that dead end… was a little girl, staring through the fence. Lightning flashed briefly and I saw her face… it was so blank… so sad… I don't know why, but I grabbed her and jumped the fence, the police turning right around the corner, but I was out of sight… When I finally stopped running, I set the girl down and looked at her. She only stared like a soulless doll. She was so pathetic I couldn't look at her. Nothing but bone and ragged hair that twirled and stuck to her thin skin… I took her in, for no real reason I could think of. She would never talk or anything, she only looked off into space like a zombie…"

Cherry gave a bitter smile and tightened her grasp around the small girl that was still asleep. "Then one day, I asked her name and she said 'I don't have one,' and that shocked me so much I couldn't speak for a while… So I finally gave her what seemed to be a much needed hug and said… 'Then I'll give you one. From now on, your name is Meme,' and just like that, I saw the first smile from her. And from then on, I took her everywhere with me." She chuckled. "Not like that was a problem, because she would follow me anywhere. I even gave up stealing and moved in with Nana Gem and Nana Ha and everyone else. She seemed a lot happier there, surrounded with caring people that she could warm up to. We've been there since… And then you came along." She now lowered her head to lock eyes with Sasori, who was holding onto the now sleeping blonde, snoring softly in comfort.

"Did my appearance cause a problem for your life?" The male redhead asked quietly.

"… Nana Gem and Nana Ha only let people live in that building as long as they are trying to hide from a past. So why would a young man with an interest in art suddenly be aloud to live in that little sanctuary that everyone held close…?" Her voice was almost drowned out by the rain, but her narrowed eyes could of said it all.

Sasori did not respond.

"You know… I don't think anyone knows all of your past, Sasori. Not even yourself…"

He did not respond again, because he was now finding that phrase was truer then he wanted to think.

"You were cold, not even caring to show any love to any single person or object. Always at work, or deep in your art. Then I found out… that you really _are_ a soulless doll. With more blood and hate on your shoulders than a demon. All you know is kill and survive… kill and survive… kill and survive… That was it… And then he came along." Her eyes softened as they looked at Deidara, still sound asleep in the puppet master's grasp.

Blinking boredly against the rain drop that fell off his eyelash, he said, "I don't understand your point."

Something then sparked alive in the girl as yelled, "That's the hottest piece of bull shit that I've heard in years Sasori!"

Thunder roared with her voice, as the lightning illuminated her burning eyes. All and all, Sasori was taken back by Cherry's outburst and the power behind it.

"Sasori, you care about that boy more than anything most likely. And out of all the people in this fucked up world… somehow you got put with this boy for a reason. I don't care if you deny it till the Reaper holds his scythe over your head; you care for him. Even now, you subconsciously hold on to him, afraid he might fall away down into the water." She stopped and smirked, waiting to see how he would react.

But the redhead was not phased. He did not twitch nor blink, he only looked at her with his expression blank.

"Tch, of course, when you admit to yourself let alone that boy is something else entirely…" She closed her eyes and moved her head down disapprovingly, but now Sasori thought of something to verbalize.

"When you said 'out of all the people', does that mean you knew Deidara before hand?"

"…"

"Cherry."

"Actually… as it happens… that boy… is my Onee-san's step son, that is also how I knew he is the mayor's son…"

Neither said anything after that. And as both Cherry and Sasori held their most precious objects, whether they knew it or not, neither could even guess how fragile both existences were. They did not know how complex the puzzle was to this plot, and how they were put into play. But they truthfully never could of known. How could they? One of them only listened to their heart, and the other their mind. And for all things to be placed down easily, they needed to know the balance of both voices to their own souls.

But how could they have known…?

A breath taking wind brought the both of them back to reality, the both of them realizing they had been resting long enough.

"We should go…" Cherry had lost her fire, and was now a dull stone as she spoke. But Sasori was used to her mood swings and nodded.

As Cherry started to wake up Meme by goading her with gentle words, the redhead's mind turned more suggestive to that very morning where he had left a new mark on the younger's neck. And now, the thoughts were much less appropriate to his disgust, so he slapped them away and started to shake Deidara by the shoulder.

"Brat, wake up."

"…" The blonde started to curl up tighter in his lap.

"I said wake up brat."

"Un…"

The redhead groan impatiently, but when he was about to try again…

"Sasori."

"Hn?" He looked up to see Cherry standing again in the rain with a tired Meme in her arms.

"I'm going ahead to go around the corner, the next spot is kinda hard to get through under the circumstances and I think I better check it out… And try to be nice to Deidara. He doesn't look to be the type who is fully aware when they first wake up." She then walked off into the rain, turning left about ten meters away, out of sight.

Sasori sighed, annoyed, and decided to go with a different approach. Putting his lips right to the other's ear, he whispered in a smooth but commanding voice:

"Deidara… Wake. Up."

This was when he started to get a reaction from the blonde. Deidara had opened his eyes to small slits, so he could barely see the outstand blue, but Sasori thought he had finally made the other awake because the younger started to shift around in his lap. But before he could realize it, Deidara had turned around to fully straddle his lap and snake his arms around his neck. The redhead officially being to stunned to react, he knew his surface would never show it, but he was conscious of his eyes widening slightly as the blonde's lips brushed past his ear…

"Why, hn~? Are you going to punish me, Sasori no Danna, un~?"

The boy's voice was low and soft. It made the elder want to do unspeakable things to the blonde. Things that should not be even thought of passed through his head in an instance and locked in as an urge. But he was able to hold his composer for a few seconds, which seemed to be long enough for the blonde to suddenly relax and go back to his soft snoring on his shoulder. Shaking off the moment, Sasori concluded that his regular was still asleep but was also dreaming in a sense, the only question being what exactly was Deidara dreaming of… No, he didn't want to know… But he couldn't hold on to himself much longer. Cherry had been right. No matter how much he denied or ignored the facts, it was true he cared for the boy before him to the point he didn't know what to do… It had been such a long time since he had cared about something other than his own survival, but now it almost seemed he was addicted to Deidara's own humanity.

And what a satisfaction it would be to taste it…

"Brat, this is your last chance to wake up before I do something drastic."

He smirked as a single minuet passed, Deidara not moving an inch.

His self control timer was up, his body acting on it's own. He spun the cloak around them and pushed the younger against the brick wall, the black waterproof cloth protecting the other from the soaked stone. This movement already had made Deidara's eyes open wide, but neither were prepared for the next action Sasori took. Moving slowly so the blonde would have time to react if wanted and push him away, as it was sinful what he was about to do, he pressed his lips to the younger's. And for the first time in the longest line of eternity, he gave into the melody of his own emotions he had lock away years ago, now figuring Deidara had the key…

The blonde was on the verge of tears when he felt those lips move against his. Not the hollowness or likeness showed in his heart at that one moment. No. He was feeling something totally new. The feeling of blissful happiness that was bright and lifting. It was such an overwhelming vibration, that he started to go beyond his limits, pushing his lips against his Danna's with everything that had been built up over the years. He let it all fall out. His anger, his hate, his blood lust, his confusion… and now his love. He couldn't help himself, he just let his sense go into the moment and kissed back with anything he could give. Deidara wanted to be engulfed into the rich darkness that was Sasori.

Though both of them were now putting fire into the sinful action of their kiss, they were actually moving their lips slowly, a soft smack between the supple tissues that were swollen. Both of them had moved to a more comfortable position. The blonde now had slid down the wall against the cloak so only the top half of his back was actually touching the wall, but this way, it was easy for Sasori to slide over him and place either leg on the side of his waist. He then wrapped his arms around the elder's neck to twirl his fingers in the blood dyed locks as the other carefully slid their arms under his back to lift him up into hypnotizing intensity.

Sasori had lost his mind. He couldn't stop himself, he didn't even remember to breathe. Though he actually didn't need air, Deidara did. And in forgetting this, he wouldn't let the other's lips leave his. But the younger was making the sweetest sounds, and with no resistance in the slightest. Even if they did this just once, just one single time he could ravish the blonde, then he would use every second to take the other in; both their essence and flaws. Still, there was a limit to those with a soul, and the blonde started to pant and slow their kiss, so the elder allowed them to separate for the other to catch their breath. But he must of over did it, because the blonde fell over to the water risen ground with a splash. Sasori not having time to unlock his arms, he came down onto Deidara who now had a death lock on his neck. Bringing them closer than gravity could pull, he was repeating one single word…

"Sasori… Sasori… Sasori… Sasori…Sasori… Sasori…"

Deidara couldn't think of any other word to say. His back side was now soaking wet and freezing, but he also had his Danna embracing him. If he was asleep and dreaming as he thought he had been, he didn't want to wake up, not ever. The moment was all to perfect, all to heavenly to be real, but he wouldn't give it up. He would keep this in his memory 'til the day he died. And as their legs intertwined and the other's arms stared to pull him up slightly, he couldn't tell if it was the rain or his tears that stained his face now.

"Dei…" Sasori whispered in his ear and then kissed his forehead. He was so happy that he thought he could burst with light like one of his explosions. He was so happy…

"Lets get you off the ground."

The redhead helped him up and he moved without his mind's consent, as if his body was on automatic. But once he did recover from his zoned out space, he noticed that the elder had wrapped the cloak around the both of them once again and was turning around a corner, Cherry's figure off in the distance looking up.

"Oh, so there you both are." She gave them a dull stare and looked back up as they stopped a few feet away. "The problem is with this next move, we have to go up that ladder and then go along the railing that's very low, making it easy to fall…"

"Is there any other way?" The elder asked.

"Yes, but it goes along to close to the road and this is faster. But we're going to move real slow, and you both will have to figure something out, but we have to get a move on." Tightening her grasp on Meme, Cherry grabbed the ladder and started to climb. And when she was about half way up the tall building side, Sasori sighed.

"Get on the third stop and put your hands on the closest step you can manage."

"Un…?"

"Just do it." Deidara's eyes widened at how cold Sasori sounded, and he didn't dare look at the expression the other held, afriad that might be crushed with the terrible truth of reality. So he moved to the ladder, the larger man shadowing him to keep him out of the rain, even though he was already wet. Placing his foot on the second step and then the third, he grabbed the sixth bar to hold onto, finding that it was wet and slippery.

"Do you have a good hold?"

"I guess…"

"Good."

Deidara felt his slightly arched back rub up against something. He could only turn his head slightly, but he could now see Sasori standing on the first step and reaching for the eighth bar. Now understanding what the puppeteer planed to do, he took a test step and moved his left knee up, the redhead doing the same. Then moving his right arm up, Sasori did the same thing again.

"Do you get it?"

"Un!"

"Good, now get moving. I can't move unless you do and these things are hard to hold on to."

The blonde smirked, he didn't even think it was odd to find something in those harsh words encouraging. "Hai, Sasori no Danna."

They moved like an oiled in-sync machine. Deidara moving quickly and Sasori shadowing the movements in fluid strikes. Even in the rain that now pelted the elder's back to the point it stung, they moved all the way up to the top without one slip or fall, Cherry at the top waiting for them. The first thing Sasori noticed when they got to the top was she was right, the thin platform along the side of the building only had a small low railing. It would be easy for any of them to fall at any second. So he found it strange when Deidara spoke.

"We need to link arms. That way if one of us falls, we all fall, un."

"I agree. Come on now Meme, you'll have to walk for a while." Cherry set the girl down as they got set. The eldest girl in front so she could lead the way with Meme holding on to her hand, Sasori holding on to the little gir'ls and Deidara holding onto his. But this time when they moved, they scooted as close to the wall as they could with a death grip on each hand. They weren't exactly facing the rain, but random drops hit them often, even thunder and lightning caught their eyes off in the distance, the only other sound being sirens moving around the city like bees. And most likely, those sirens were the stupid cats, looking for the running mice under the orders of the dog…

"I see it… I see it!" Cherry suddenly became jubilated with an unknown sight, making them slide faster along the wall towards a small metal stair case this time. "Come on!" She grabbed Meme and started to sprint down the slick steps without a second thought.

Sasori couldn't believe the sudden change in the girl; what had she seen? Grabbing Deidara's hand and pulling the blonde along, they also ran down the stairs, their feet clapping against the thin metal that threatened to trip them at any second. When the ground was reached, the redhead had only seen a whip of red hair go around a corner and disappear. It was actually harder to keep up with the over excited girl than expected, even at a dead run. But around three corners and out to an empty street with only one building, Cherry was staring at a five story structure with bright yellow lights coming out of different windows all the way up to the top.

"Time to meet the Kyoko you two!" Cherry ran over to the old door and went in without even knocking, strange noises of yells and cheers of randomness flooding out to the street.

Sasori was not afraid to meet these people, he was probably more skilled than any of them anyway, so he took a step towards the building without a second thought. But Deidara grabbed onto his arm, looking unsure of what they were about to do. But, as new as it was, Sasori found him smiling down gently at the younger…

"Come one brat, they're the ones that want to meet _us_ remember?" He smirked, leading the gaping blonde into the light of the warm build where the Kyoko resided.


	15. The Kyoko's Voice

**DISCLAIMER: I just now noticed that I have been calling all you idiots that are stupid enough to complain about disclaimers trolls, when I really should be calling you flamers. So back off you asses! I DON'T OWN NARUTO!**

**A/N: Okay, I have to say it… Thank you Blood Drenched Scorpion, I had totally forgot about Deviantart ( I know, how could I?) and laira87 happens to be one of my favorite artists on there. Though she puts a lot of stuff on Sandchamber… (its not that I don't like that website, it just doesn't like me…) she still is a great artist who does A LOT of SasoDei. And if you don't now what Deviantart is then shame on you! Go! Go to that website right now and look at stuff! Your not even allowed to read this story till you do! … Aw shit, I'm rambling… well its not like you guys aren't used to it by now. But thanks Scorpion! I was very… stimulated as you say…! But who else would I suggest on Deviant… um… Oh! I also like yumekage. So feel free to check those two out.**

**But remember when I asked if anyone knew who the vocaloids are? Hehe~ Well I guess you'll figure out why I asked that in this chap. But when the time is right, follow the link I shall put below. I will warn you, there is going to be a few songs in the next couple of chapters, but there not going to be in English, but in Japanese (that already makes it better XD). And, just to make it better, whenever they sing, it will usually involve some action (either like guns, explosions, ect; or some little SasoDei). But if you cant read English lyrics while listening to amazing Japanese words, I picked a video that has really good quality and sound. The only problem I have with it is the lyrics are so basic and straight forward when mine are going to be a bit more close to the original translation that is ten times better. Plus whatever happens in this certain video (this wont happen often) will be what they're seeing.**

**Don't worry, you'll get it once you start reading. But don't let the songs deter you from the story. There will be plenty of genre's and I would at least give them a chance no matter, cause they are in another language, after all. **

**http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=MMQmTIp6SRk&feature=related**

**(MAKE SURE TO GET RID OF THE SPACES BETWEEN THE TWO DOTS!)**

**You can either watch the video (which I must say was done very well) or read my lyrics (which are not mine by the way, they most likely belong to someone who is fluent in Japanese…)**

**So! Here we go! From your sorry and apologetic author who made a really long A/N-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 12 FRIDAY 2:17 A.M.

This… had to be the most unexpected part of young Deidara's night.

When he entered the warm and light filled building, the first thing he saw was Cherry setting Meme down to give a girl with long teal pigtails a hug. The girl was a little shorter than the redhead, but she wore a grey tank top like shirt with a teal tie to match her hair. She also wore a black short skirt that was rimmed with the same color as her tie along with long sleek boots that came up just a little below the skirt. Lastly, she wore two black half sleeves like the girl, Luka, he saw that was with Uragirimono.

"Cherry! Its been a long time since you visited us!"

"Calm down Miku, I brought some friends with me that I thought you'd like to meet." Cherry gesture back to the two artists who were staring at the two girls exchange. Miku, seeming to be a 'go lucky girl' became wide eyed with a small gapped 'o' shaped mouth.

"Are these… are these two them!" Miku suddenly jumped with a small squeal and ran over to start shaking Deidara's hand vigorously up and down with a vice grip. "Its so nice to meet you! I bet your Sasori! You seem to be really smart and have a certain arrogance about you." She grinned and looked over to the real Sasori, while still shaking Deidara's hand. "And I bet you Deidara! You seem to be younger and have a bit more innocence." Miku beamed wider but still didn't stop shaking his hand.

The artists looked at each other, both being annoyed that their identities had been switched. Seeing as his temper was already short from being in the rain, still wearing drenched cloths and shivering from the coldness of them, Deidara let his hand mouth's tongue slide out and give her a good lick and bite.

"OWW!" Miku jumped back holding her hand, only to see the redhead smirking and the blonde giving her a wicked smile and half glare.

"Hate to break it to ya, but you have it completely backwards, un." Deidara chuckled as his hand mouth smiled and waved its tongue in the air at her in a way of mockery.

"Wow… Everyone, everyone! Check it out! They're here!" Miku shouted and gave a small spin around them, drawing attention from a few other people that were in the room.

When you looked past the girl that had plenty of energy to spare, you could see a room with white walls and a wooden floor. There seemed to be a step down that led you into the living room area that included a medium sized cube TV, couch, coffee table and two recliners; two doors on both sides of the area seemed to be entrances to other rooms. At the back of the living room area, half of it was a wall and the other half extended deeper into what seemed to be a dinning room that had a large round table with around twenty chairs around it; an archway off to the side that led behind the wall that was presumed to be the kitchen.

Meme had been sitting on the couch with a woman who was laying down. She had short brown hair along with a red skirt and a red tank top that was cut and hung low enough to cover her breasts. She had been eating a piece of toast and flipping through channels when she looked over.

Two other pair of eyes that were caught a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, both of them having short blonde hair (the girl let hers flow out to hover above her shoulders and the boy had his pulled back into a small pony tail with his bangs going everywhere) and bright blue eyes; neither could be more than fourteen. The girl had on a big white bow in her hair along and a white tank top with a yellow scarf which tied under the black collar of her top. She also had on grey booty shorts and black legging type things that started out below her knees and bloused out past feet. The boy wore something similar, only in male style. He had on a white T-shirt and a yellow tie that that started under his grey collar. He also wore black boy shorts with yellow trim and the black legging type things that also bloused over his feet. Both of them wearing the half sleeves that started below their elbows to almost cover their fingers, only theirs had yellow trim instead of teal.

The both of them seemed to be working on something together at the dinning room table when they looked over.

Lastly, a man came around the arch to look at them also. He had blue hair and blue eyes and wore a long white coat that was rimmed with blue along with tan/brown pants along with a black belt. He also wore a blue scarf that wrapped around his neck.

"These are the main members of the Kyoko," Miku told. "That's Meiko," she pointed to the woman on the couch. "That's Rin and Len," she pointed to the girl twin and then the boy. "And that's Kaito!" She pointed to the man with blue hair as they all looked back with curiously. "Where's everyone else?" The girl in teal looked around now dumbfounded right as a loud '**BOOM!**' made the building shake.

"I think they're all down stairs helping Nigaito…" Meiko gained an expression of annoyance as the tremble faded away and noise echoed for the last time. "But who are these guys?" She continued and shifted her gaze back to the two artists.

"These guys," Miku gestured back to them, "are our imposters!"

A small silence passing, four once stricken faces turned to grins as they all now gathered around them.

"Really now?" Meiko crossed her arms with a half smirk as Kaito placed his arm on her shoulder to lean up against. "Just these two took on all those gun addict asses? I'm impressed. What do you think, Rin, Len?"

The twins stepped up, looking up and down as if they were examining something carefully, the both of them wearing the same bored expression.

"Well…" Rin started. "The redhead looks pretty serious, I can see him taking off plenty of heads…" she trailed off and nodded at her conclusion. "But the blonde," Len picked up her thoughts. "He seems more of 'get shot and be done with' type. Probably will get killed if he doesn't get more practice in handling himself. Right Rin?"

"Right Len." The twins smiled at each other, Deidara feeling his eyebrow twitch as Sasori chuckling lightly

"Hn…"

"Face it brat, you're the type that dies young. And you _do _think art is fleeting, after all, even though you are clear mistaken." Sasori grinned and looked at the blonde without turning his head toward the other; his gaze half lidded was only to tease.

"Your mistaken, Danna. I do not _think_ true art is fleeting, I _know _it's fleeting, un."

"You are the mistaken one brat, art is eternal, everlasting. I would think you'd be smart enough to figure that out by now."

As these two bickered quietly, the five Kyoko members turned to Cherry with curious looks.

"Its just something they do. You'll get used to it I guess," she sighed. "But I guess this is enough… Hey!" Cherry yelled and the artists stopped dead in their debate. "Len, can you take Deidara upstairs to get a dry change of cloths? I think me and Sasori are good."

"Sure, right this way." Len grabbed Deidara's wrist and led him over to one of the door ways on the right. There was a metal stair case that twirled up to the next level that seemed to be a really long hall way with doors. "Follow me." Len took him down past six white doors and opened one near the end. "You look to be about Kaito's size, maybe a little smaller, I don't think he'll mind if I take some of his cloths to give to you." He opened the door to a white room and wood floors like the down stairs. The room had a dresser, double bed, night stand with a lamp and a tall book case that was filled with to the brim with papers, leather casings and folders.

"I bet…" Len went over to the dresser and started to flip through layers of folded fabric. "Go ahead and take off your wet cloths. Do you need boxers?" Len looked back over to him, but Deidara wasn't paying that much attention.

"Huh? Oh, I think I'm good there. Just a pair of pants and a shirt would be fine, un." He spoke half zoned out as the blonde took off his half drenched shirt and pants, his boxers dry for the most part. They then traded, Deidara giving his wet cloths to Len and smaller boy giving him dry ones.

"Huh, that's funny. Only the back of your cloths are wet, how'd that happen?"

The elder blonde froze, the night snapping in more clearly. He had been running from the police. He traveled through tight ally ways with his Danna in close contact. He was now in the same building as the deadly Kyoko (who were more friendly than he expected). And on top of all that, he had kissed Sasori. He had kissed his suicide hotline operator, the person that was now dragged down into a all out gang war with him. Not to mention, Sasori was another _man_. This had to be the most disgusting, disgraceful, conceded thing he could have ever done. It was sickening, to be in love with someone of your gender… He was in love? He was in love… He was in love.

Deidara felt dizzy all the sudden, almost as if the ground had left his feet on purpose to trick his mind.

"You okay?" Len looked back to the zoned out blonde that was still standing half naked.

"U-un… Just in thought I guess."

"Do you do that a lot?"

"Actually, its not really my style to think about things so deeply."

"Well, you've had a long night. I guess its understandable. But you should put those cloths on before you freeze, and I think Cherry wants to tell us something so I would hurry downstairs." Len left the room for him to get dressed, which he did quickly because he finally got around to noticing that he really was freezing. He headed back down stairs to see that the five Kyoko members along with Sasori and Cherry with Meme in her lap were sitting at the large round table.

"Oh, Deidara. Come sit over here." Cherry motioned for him and patted on a seat that was between her and Sasori, who was looking at him intently.

The blonde sat down, sitting right across from Miku, on the girl with teal pigtails left was Kaito and next to him was Meiko. Of her left was Rin and next to her, Len. They all seemed fairly close, almost like a family, Deidara noticed.

"Now!" Miku smiled. "I'll go get everyone else. I'm pretty sure everyone will want to meet you but Gakupo," Kaito whispered something quickly into her ear. "Will… not be able to make it. But you can meet everyone else!" She then jumped up from her seat and went over to one of the two doors on the side of the wall; she picked the one that was closest but this time, the door she opened led to a metal staircase leading down. "Hey, come on up and give Nigaito a break. There's some people here you all should meet!" She then stepped out of the way to let six people come up the stairs.

"The first people to introduce are Kaito's brothers!" She gestured as four new faces, all similar to Kaito, came up the stairs.

"The first is Kikaito." A man with blonde hair the same style as his brother's came up first, their cloths were almost the same to except his color scheme was yellow and his scarf had a piano pattern on it.

"Next, Taito!" This one was more than a little different from Kaito. Though they had a similar face, Sasori noticed, this brother seemed to where his coat open to show that he had bandages wrapped around his chest; also having bandages wrapped around his eye, his color scheme was purple and his hair was a dark violet.

"After Taito of course come Akaito!" Miku jumped up with hand in the air as the third brother entered the space. This brother was completely identical to Kaito, only his color scheme was red along with the messy pile of rusty locks on top of his head.

"And for the last of the Shion brothers, and the youngest, Nigaito!" The last brother was probably the most different. He was younger, maybe eleven, when the rest of them seemed to be around the same age. His color scheme was green, and his cheeks were red along with this was his coat was far to big for him and his scarf wrapped around mouth. His hair a pale jade, he looked to be frail.

"Well that's about it, so how bout we-"

"Hey! Don't we get an introduction?" Two other men came up the stairs, both looking smug.

"Oh yeah! This is Ask," Miku pointed to a boy in his late teenager years. He had light blue hair along with a long white shirt on with and tan cargo pants. Though his eyes were ice blue and striking, he seemed more mischievous then cool.

"And this is Clear," the teal haired girl pointed to the final man. He looked to be in his early twenties with dirty blonde hair he tied back into a small pony tail at the back of his head and had emerald eyes; he wore a dark button down and black skinny jeans with a Fedora hat, this made Sasori certain that this man was the cunning type that like to play games.

"They actually come and go as they please, but they're always welcome here like you three." Miku grinned back to the two artists and Cherry, who had been sitting patiently much to Sasori's annoyance, and were waiting to continue.

"Tch, and why are these three welcome here, hm~?" Clear questioned while leaning against Ask, who took the extra weight easily even though he was the small of the two.

"Why don't you sit down, shut up and listen then if your so curious?" Meiko smirked, her cheeks bright pink from her newly acquired sake bottle in hand.

"Humph," Clear turned his head up like a snob. "Fine. But only because you're a pain when your drunk."

"Who says'a I'm drunk?" The brunette half slurred.

"I rest my case." The emerald eyes flashed and narrowed, Ask giving the older man an impish smile, the two moving to sit down with the rest of Kaito's brothers as Miku took her seat again.

"Now, I believe you two have a story to tell." Rin gave a smile that equaled her twin's.

"A story, un?"

"When you's fooleded all dose idiots into thinkin' you were us." Meiko gave a strange grin, her slur getting worse.

Sasori and Deidara looked at each, the both of them then looking over to Cherry, who nodded at them encouragingly. Sighing, the elder nodded. They each told the story and their own parts after they separated briefly. All of the Kyoko stayed quiet for the telling, except for the occasional sneeze from Nigaito or question, they stayed patient and calm to hear every detail they both could give. By the end, most of the members were grinning, the exception being Meiko who was passed out in her chair and Clear who seemed uncaring.

"See? It was a good thing that Cherry brought them here. We could help them and they can help us."

"Yeah, but do we really want to get involved."

"Things could get ugly and then we'd have to move. I like it here, its inconspicuous."

"Not to mention Itazura is running for governor."

"Meaning we have a tighter leash than usual."

"What do you guys thing, Clear, Ask? You're the guests and if we get involved while you're here, you'll both get dragged down with us."

All eyes turned to the two men at the far end of the table. Ask had not changed his expression and was staring at Clear with a devilishly playful look, the other male seeming to be in more of deeper train of thought.

"I'll admit, these to held up against those four schmucks alright. But their problems are not ours, though… I really hate that bitch Itazura. I wouldn't mind taking that cunt loving witch down to hell myself, but there's no way anyone could do it on their own. And now some guy named Uragirimono is playing her puppet to turn on any second? We cant trust him either. For all we know, things might get worse once he's in charge. So the only solution I see; we take'm both out and let the rest of it fall into place. It will take all of use if he gathers up those idiots. And honestly," he turned to look at Sasori and the blonde beside him. "I'm surprised you both made it out. You look like you could hold your own," he pointed to the redhead. "But you look like the type to die young," he then pointed to Deidara on the elder's left.

The younger tensed. Was it just because his art was explosions, or was it just written on his forehead that he was going to die soon? Either way, he didn't like it…

"He does seem like the type, doesn't he?" Sasori spoke half heartedly this time, feeling something in his body twitch. The subject of Deidara being gone made him uncomfortable, almost nervous. A hand suddenly grabbed his, the puppeteer knew it was Deidara's; it seemed the blonde had also not appreciated Clear's words.

Deidara had not meant to actually grab the elder's hand as tightly as he did, it more or less happened as a reflex. But the redhead gave a squeeze back, letting their fingers lace together.

The both of them somehow managing to keep straight faces toward their crowd.

"Either way," Clear continued. "Me and Ask can stay around for this little war, it might be interesting," he grinned, the rest of the Kyoko showing some smiles of their own.

"Pardon my intervening…" Sasori's voice caught them all off guard, all eyes turning forcibly on the puppeteer. "When we came here on a whim, I didn't believe that we came asking for help. Unlike most people, I hold all four aces up my sleeve at once, never giving the other a chance. I think we can handle the situation with_out _assistance." The redhead spoke without batting a lash and his voice a dead monotone, everyone in the room staring at him in disbelief with the exception of Deidara.

The blonde didn't know why, but his intuition said the elder was not bluffing, and he didn't doubt it.

"And what makes you think we don't have tricks of our own?" Meiko popped up awake in her chair, still flushed but no longer slurring.

"You all seem like ordinary people; I may be underestimating, but first impression doesn't say much…" Sasori crossed his arms, he honestly didn't see anything special about these people.

"Oh?" Meiko smirked. "Then why don't we show you?"

"What?" Miku jumped up with puffed out cheeks as if to show a Chibi like anger.

"Relax, we can just show them a harmless one like Sacrifice, they'll at least understand if they see it. So, you in?" Her grin grew wider, Sasori still not showing much care.

"Alight then, lets see your 'tricks' as you put it."

"Okay, everyone down stairs! And don't forget my sake!"

Everyone was then herded down the stairs in which the four brothers and two men had just come from. Going down only one floor, the entire level was nothing but a concrete room with two doors that sealed shut and a sleek grand piano at the very back of the large space.

"Everyone along the back wall except you two," the brunette pointed at the two artists. "Miku, Kaito, Rin, Len, you know what to do. And Kikaito, could you play for us?" She looked at the blonde brother, his slight nod of the head was his only response. "Alright, lets get this on the road! You two, stand right in front of this line." Meiko placed both the artists in front of a line that went straight across the large room, the six Kyoko heading towards the piano while the rest were back against the wall. Kikaito took his seat on the bench so he could play the large instrument, the other five forming a 'V' pointing toward them with Meiko at the head, Kaito to her right with Rin behind him, and Miku on her left with Len behind her.

The blonde brother started to play a strange tune, as words from an unknown voice came to both of their ear's… (FOLLOW THE LINK I LISTED IN THE A/N NOW!)

"There once was a little dream. No knows who had dreamt it, it really was such a small dream. This made the little dream think… 'I don't want to disappear. How do I get people to dream of me?' The little dream thought and thought, and at last it had an idea. 'I will let people come to me, and let them create their own world…'"

The room flashed black as a forest at dusk came into view, Meiko in the middle of it with a blade…

"The first ALICE was a gallant red one of the spade. Bravely wielding a sharpened sword in the world of Wonderland. Slicing down all within her way, She was followed by a red bloody path.

This new ALICE went deep into the woods, Was trapped and imprisoned as a wanted fugitive. If it were not for the murderous wake left behind, No one would have suspected she had ever been…"

The forest faded away along with Meiko and Kaito appeared in a space of mirrors filled with blue roses…

"The second ALICE was a fragile blue one of the diamond. Who sang to the world of Wonderland. Filling regions of falsely created notes, Thus creating a crazed world.

This new ALICE was of the rose, He was shot and killed by a mad man. Leaving one flower blooming so sadly red, The one who was once loved was now forgotten."

Kaito and his roses faded away, as Miku appeared in a castle's greenest garden…

"The third ALICE as a little green one of the club. A very cute and dear figure in the world of Wonderland. She charmed people to her every beck and call, Out of this became a strange country.

This new ALICE was the country's queen, Taken over by a distorted dream. Only able to see rotting flesh, She forever claimed her regime."

Miku faded away with her castle and lastly Rin and Len came in hand in hand in a field filled with an array of doors…

"During this two children went into the woods. Having a tea part under the rose trees. An invitation from the queen, It was the ace of hearts.

The forth ALICE was two twin siblings. Their curiosity letting them enter the world of Wonderland. Going through many different doors, They had only just arrived.

A stubborn older sister, A brilliant little brother. They were the closets to becoming the true ALICE but…"

Sounds of echoing feet came to their ears, a quick trick of the mind and the twins were gone…

"They were never woken from their terrifying dream. Forever they would wander the world of Wonderland…"

The tune started to fade out as the fate of each 'Alice' passed their eyes for the last time. The artist's then came back to the world they knew as reality, back in the concrete room where the Kyoko grinned all around them both.

"What… what was that, hn?" Deidara spoke trying to firm his surroundings up in his vision.

"That, was our ace," Meiko grinned. "Everyone in the Kyoko first had a terrible upraising. The master then came across them by luck, and he gave us all a gift, it's a special machine that he placed in our vocal cords, that we can switch on and off when we sing. The signals that machine gives out can only go out a certain amount, but when your caught up in them, your mind follows our song. And as we sing, you come into the story as if you were in life, just as vulnerable and confused. And we can do anything while someone is captured in this state. We can torture, we can kill, we can even do things outside of your mind while your still trapped. And its all thanks to the Master…"

Something strange happened then. All of the Kyoko member's heads bowed low to utter a slow and deepening word…

"Master…"

Deidara suddenly fell into that depth like ink brimming the top of the whitest paper. He understood the bond masters created. Though there were many kinds such as a slave and his chain… a butler and his lord… an elder and his apprentice… no matter what kind of master you are devoted to, the bond is always strong and unforgettable, with a pain that will always remain a scar. Yes, Deidara knew; his eye's looking out their corners to see the brown eyes colder than the artic become unfazed to the actions that had just taken place.

Yes, he understood well…

"As you can see, we are not as weak as you think us to be." Meiko came back to them, the rest of Kyoko following only with a more somber look. "All of us have the same device that allows us to do this. We will need to work together to take down this threat that opposes all of us. You have your aces, we have ours, all we have to do is gather the knowledge we need and put down our hand before they do. Is that alright with you two? The matter is far more personal, after all." Meiko grinned and walked over to them as she talked of their combining. When she stopped a mere foot away, she held out her hand to show comradeship.

Sasori had to think for a moment. He could take care of this problem himself if he wanted to, but he was just like these people. He didn't want to cause so much attention that the past would catch up to the point of his move. This maybe their only chance for assistance if ever needed. The redhead was about to put out his hand to shake, but Deidara beat him to it, surprisingly. There was a spark in his regular's eye that was a mix of determination and anxiety. Still, the elder couldn't help but smirk. Maybe the brat was growing up a bit after seeing the deck…

"We'll take your deal, un."

"Excellent." Meiko shook the hand up and down once, now smiling. "Now, lets get you two a room."

"Ah… One room, un?"

"Yup!" Miku came up beside them. "We only have one more extra room with a full bed, you'll have to share." Everyone started to move toward the door at once, leaving the blonde alone in the middle of the room, his ego dropped.

"Un… Sharing a bed with Sasori no Danna… Great…"

"What was that, brat?"

"Nothing Danna!" Deidara hurried to catch up to the redhead, swallowing the butterflies back down where they belonged.


	16. Slow Trains of Thought

**DISCLAIMER: Stupid flamers… makin' me put a god damn disclaimer every chapter… Well F you and I DON'T own Naruto! **

**A/N: Ha! Hell to the fuck'n yes! You guys will be happy to know this! Okay, usually when I think of a story, I think of the ending first. But as you know, this story kinda just came to me before I fell asleep, so no ending came straight away to me. But now I got it! So all I have to do is get there. And trust me, the end is a long ways away from where we are now, so I hope that makes you guys happy to know.**

**But I think this chap is kinda slow and boring. Not much happenin' I guess? But the end is important for the next couple of chapters, so I tried to keep things moving and whipped through this as painlessly as I could and set things up nice for the future. Though I would listen to the songs, the first one (knowing all of you here are hopefully BL fans) will just love it and the second one may leave you a little shocked when it comes to the person's voice.**

**The songs for this chapter are Magnet (Male Chorus) and Dolls (Kikaito). Now, I know there are two main Magnet male chorus videos. One of them has a more closer amount of singers to what I really have in this story, *laughs in small hysteria* but I don't care! The version I picked, I can guaranty a majority of you are gonna love! And even if you don't understand it, you can hear the "Sensei!", and the deep voices… panting… smack of the lips… *rejects inner fan girl and holds in squeal to focus* ANYWAY! You will like this video, so if anything, listen and watch it. The only difference is I will put the English lyrics here and you'll be hearing the Japanese ones when you hear the video. BUT I'M SERIOUS, watch the vid, it'll get you in that yaoi mood for day I guess you can say.**

**Magnet (Male Chorus):**

**http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=hEnk_EWsX2g**

**Dolls (Kikaito):**

**http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=uw6ykdhAW-A**

**From you very sincere author of this story who hopes she doesn't have to remind you every time to get rid of spaces between the dots in the link and is sorry for the delayed update-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 13 – SATURDAY – 10:13 A.M.

Deidara's sleep was not pleasant. Yes, he did have to share a double bed with Sasori, which was both a pleasure and an inconvenience in its own way, but he had trouble relaxing no matter what. He kept waking up in close contact to the puppeteer who seemed to be dead in his own dreams. So every time the blonde crack opened an eye, feeling more warm than he should be, he found himself either laying on the redhead's chest, or his arms wrapped around the other's torso. Over all, it was above annoying.

But he did have enough luck not to wake Sasori up during any points of the night…

After an agonizingly long and broken slumber, Deidara got out of the bed to put on a set of plain clothes Kaito lent him, and went up the stairs to the main ground floor of the building. Turns out all of Kaito's brothers slept down stairs below the concrete room because there wasn't enough room upstairs; and the guest rooms being on the same level. So up the stairs he went to find the building already awake and alive.

Meiko was passed out on the couch as Kaito sat beside her, watching some morning talk shows out of boredom. Rin and Len were sitting at the dinning room table, Rin eating an orange and Len a banana, as they were again working on something. Clear and Ask were also at the table, sitting next to each other; Miku chatting up a storm right behind them while Akaito ate his cereal and Taito sipped his coffee. Lastly, Kikaito was sitting in one of the recliners. So that meant everyone was up and moving about except Sasori and Nigaito.

Deidara had no idea how he managed to remember all of their names and who they were exactly. It had barely stuck to his memory in fact, but he had no time to ponder, for Miku popped up beside him as soon as he got to the top of the stairs.

"Morning Deidara! Did you sleep well?" She smiled easily, her spirit seeming to always flow out bright. "Would like some coffee?"

He managed to give a smile in return. "Morning Miku, I guess I slept well, and coffee would be much appreciated, un."

"Then lets go to the kitchen, I think Kaito made waffles." The girl smiled wider and pulled him to the kitchen that was very spacious with plenty of counter tops. But he was surprised to see a mug of steaming liquid slide across the raised platform as soon as he entered the room.

"Drink up brat, you look restless." Sasori was standing in the kitchen with his own cup, but Deidara was dumbfounded. Wasn't the elder still in bed when he came up stairs?

"How…?" He was at a loss of words.

"I went past you when you were talking to Miku. Be more aware of your surroundings, brat." The redhead didn't let their eye's meet. It was true that he did go past the blonde at the top of the steps, but the blonde was also the reason he woke up. It wasn't that he heard the younger get out of bed or shut the door, he was actually very quiet, but he woke up feeling the bed wasn't as warm as when he fell asleep. Almost like the younger was a warmth to comfort him, or else the space was just dull…

Deidara looked back at Miku for some sort of confirmation, and her small nod was the only reply he got. Maybe his senses were a little weak compared to everyone else…

"Miku!" Rin and Len appeared in the doorway, leaning in on each other with little smiles. "Did you tell them about the payment?" The twins said in unison.

The girl in teal face palmed. "I forgot! You can guys can only stay here as long as long as you pay the price."

Sasori stepped up to lean against the counter top next to Deidara, his eyes tightening at the smiling Kyoko members. "What kind of price?"

"You have to write us a song!"

The two artists stared back blank. "You want us to write a song, hn?"

"Not just one song, you both have to write one."

"What kind of song?"

"Any kind."

"What about style, hn? Still don't care?"

"Nope!" The three didn't stop grinning. Though it was weird that they gave no specifics, Sasori saw no ulterior motive to their request. After all, their song's were their weapons, so who could blame them for wanting more? The only thing the redhead would need was something to write about, for he was not the greatest with words.

"What about-..." They all stopped at the sound of the front door slamming, as very high pitched girl voice filling the building with squeals and whines. The sounds were soon turned to welcomes as the twin's looks dropped to annoyed and Miku seemed to suddenly grow with a bright smile.

"Gumi's home!" Miku jumped and ran out of the kitchen with Deidara following in curiosity.

He saw everyone crowding around a small girl with light green hair and pink goggles on top of her head. She had on an orange vest with a yellow shirt under it, along with an orange skirt that had white ruffles underneath. Also having boots on, they were white with small blue slips on at the top. This girl, said name Gumi, seemed to be a little attention hog. No one even noticed the strange creature that scurried across the floor that looked like a Chibi squashed form of Miku. Though once he thought about it, Deidara figured he had just imagine the little thing and focused back to the new girl who was now stirring things up.

"Wha? What do you mean Gakupo isn't even down stairs yet?" The girl shot towards the upstairs, but half of the Kyoko jumped on her, all their voices mixing into one. "I don't care what the meany witch did to him! He can't stay depressed for forever and ever!" She then shot out from under them and bolted up the stairs.

Sighing, they all stood up, and Kaito started a count down. "Five… Four… Three… Two… On-"

"Get out Gumi!"

"No! I want you out of this room so you can stop sulking and start singing!"

"Gumi," there was a loud thud or two with a thrown in squeal. It seemed the small girl was putting up a real fight. Though after at least three minuets of constant slams and crashes, the small girl came down the stairs with a grin of victory, as man with long purple hair in a white long sleeved shirt and black pants following her by force it seemed.

Sasori was mostly annoyed by all of the commotion so early in the morning, but he was distracted by a small buzzing in his pants leg; his cell phone. Lifting it up and out of his pocket, he recognized the number as Kisame's.

"Shit…" Taking a quick swig of his coffee that he very much needed, he went back around the kitchen corner and flipped the device open. "Hello?"

"Sasori! So you're alive, eh?"

"More or less, what do you want?"

"Well you haven't been to work in a few days, so me and Kakuzu made a bet that you were dead in the gutter."

"Damn, I forgot about work."

"You, forgot something?" Kisame gave a fake gasp. "What is this world coming to?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing for the past couple of days…" The puppeteer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, the most current of events passing through his mind with strange ease. Each one involved Deidara in some way, much to his almost accepting horror.

"Kinda funny though, your regular hasn't called at all while you've been gone, lucky huh? Or did ya just fix all his problems straight?"

Though Sasori could imagine his friend grinning with good nature on the other end of the line, he became humorless. Straight… to him, every curve that could take them down farther into hell they had turned. His past was closer than he ever wanted it to be, and on top of everything that had happened that could, he had to watch over Deidara, who he was now confused about. First it was sickening enough that he cared for the blonde, but now he had kissed the boy, and that only had caused a bigger hole. But he needed to get himself together. He most certainly didn't need his emotions clouding up his thoughts.

He needed to be able to think straight, for both of their sakes…

"Consider this my resignation, the brat's problems are not the only thing I need to worry about." This was true, he needed to worry more about finding a solution other than the problems themselves.

"Alight I guess, I wish the best for ya. And me and Kakuzu will be here if you ever need us."

"I will hold you to that word. 'Til next time."

"'Til next time, Sasori-san."

The redhead snapped the phone shut, coming back around the kitchen's corner to see everyone in the living room surrounding Deidara. The blonde looking frustrated with his arms crossed in the middle of them all. Feeling his impatient side kick in, Sasori pushed through the small crowd and over to the still riled teen.

"What did you do brat?"

"I told them that I didn't know how to write a song, and now they're complaining, un."

"Well you say you're an artist! It should be no problem!" Meiko shouted, her fits clenched tight at her sides. The uproar started again, the only people being quiet was the man with long purple hair, said be Gakupo, Kikaito, and the newly awakened Nigaito.

Putting his hand up for silence, they all followed the redhead's quiet command, shutting their mouths so he could speak. "I also do not know how to write a song. Though we are artists, well, Deidara more or less, you mistake us. Writing is not our expertise, perhaps some inspiration would do?" Sounding as formal and calm as he could, he held his head high, so nothing showed through to his outside exterior

"Inspiration…?" Rin looked blank and then got a smile, running over to Miku to whisper in her ear.

"That's perfect!" Miku screamed and then gave the artists a smile. "Everyone! We're doing Magnet!"

Grins so untrustworthy, it almost didnt surprise him when suddenly things happened so fast and quick, Deidara couldn't catch anyone's eye. They all were pushed down stairs into the concrete room. For the first time noticing that there were couches behind the painted line, the two artists taking a seat with the rest of the girl Kyoko members, and Nigaito. As all the males in the building stood in front of the piano, Kikaito taking a seat while the rest stood. A soft tune started to play as the blonde brother moved his fingers, the men about to perform giving gentle whispers. The song then started, everyone going back and forth with lyrics.

"Ready go…

A feeble fire is lit at the edge of my heart;

without my knowing, it spreads into burning passion.

My butterfly flapped about aimlessly,

leaving behind some powder on your hand.

Pulling apart our intertwined fingers,

moving from our lips to our tongues.

What we're doing do might be unforgivable,

and that's precisely why we're so fired up.

I want you to embrace me closely and gauge my limit.

Please make me believe that this is not a sin.

I want you to kiss me and repaint my body.

I want to be intoxicated and drowned in your charm.

It might be necessary for you to tie me up;

if you love me, then show me some fidelity.

I can't help but like "weird" things,

so let's just go as far as we can go.

With a heart that has gone astray,

we will melt so easily,

that there's no free time for us

even to feel each other's tenderness.

What has been repeating is not our dream,

but the unmistakably realistic "we."

I know as soon as we touch, we can't turn back,

but that's fine, for you're my one and only love."

Many of the men started to pant, creating low whispers… Before they began again, there was a small smack of the lips, the deep voices then continuing.

"As dawn breaks, I become uneasy,

and end up crying in tears.

You whispered "It's okay" to me,

but were you also crying?

I want you to embrace me closely and gauge my limit.

Please make me believe that this is not a sin.

I want you to kiss me and repaint my body.

I want to be intoxicated and drowned in your charm.

Draw me closer, as if we are two magnets,

that even if we separate, we will reunite again.

Let's become one; it's okay not to able to turn back.

That's fine, for you're my one and only love."

The tune ended as the men took their bows. Everyone started clapping, even Deidara who was wide eyed. He was stunned by the lyrics and the fact that all of the people singing were male. He knew the song was about forbidden love after listening to the song, but what really sent him over the edge was the small kiss two people shared in between a small part of the song. And those two people were Ask and Clear, who were now teasing each other as they joined everyone sitting down. Ask was grinning devilishly up at Clear, who had an uncaring face. Finding himself immobile for an uncertain second, he only came out of his mind when he saw everyone looking over himself and the puppeteer.

"So, was that good enough inspiration for you guys?" Meiko raised her eyebrow, looking down at the two artists.

"I guess you'll find out later, won't you? Come on brat." Sasori grabbed the blonde's hand, leading the both of them all the way back to their room, and leaving behind many disappointed faces. He needed to think. That song, it was just to suggestive to the current situation, making it hard for the elder to keep his train of thought clear. Though it probably wasn't the smartest idea to bring the brat along, especially when it was the other that was clouding his mind in the first place... Pushing Deidara into their room, he went to sit on the bed to think of something, anything, that could clear his thoughts of the blonde and that stupid song…

Deidara sat down on the opposite end of the bed, the same song playing in his head along with previous night in the rain… It was still fresh, that one moment in his mind, and he had no idea what to do with it or all the damn emotions that kept swelling up like knives to strike. Not that he could complain, not once had the hollow feeling caused him pain, but these feelings could only lead to hurt in the end, he knew. Last night was merely a fluke, the teen figured, never to happen again. He was never to feel that happiness again. But he also knew the redhead would not leave his life for a while, making the elder's presence a taunt.

"Damn it…" Deidara heard his Danna mutter on the other side of the bed.

"Danna…?"

"What brat?"

"Do you need help… or something, un?"

"And why would I need any Goddamn help from _you,_ Brat?"

The blonde gave an unamused look. "Well _you _were the one that pulled me in here, _Danna_, un."

The elder growled, his fist clenching the sheets. "Just get out you little shit, I need to think."

"Again," Deidara's voice rose as his heart went faster from his anger, that was now powered by a new shot of adrenaline. Moving bravely, he went across the bed on all fours and into a sitting position next to the redhead. The blonde wasn't completely sure if his inflamed cheeks came from his anger, or the closeness of the other, but he continued none the less. "You were the one that brought me down here, un."

"Well excuse me from getting you away from an awkward situation, next time I wont be so gracious."

"Wouldn't really matter anyway…" The younger leaned back on the bed, sprawled out to look up at the ceiling. "I… probably would of… followed you anyways…" he turned his head, not wanting the other to see his blush deepen.

"Oh?" The redhead smirked. "And why is that, Deidara?"

"…" Deidara pushed his head deeper into the sheets, his blush up to his ears and his heart beating for a new reason. There was a shift of weight, and he opened his eyes to a crack, just a small crack, only for them to shoot wide to see Sasori on all fours, now hovering over him.

"What's wrong, is there something you can't even tell your Danna?"

"…" Deidara turned and let his grip on the sheets go, hand shaking, it raised to cup the other's cheek.

"Brat, what-?"

"I've been wondering a little, why your touch feels different, Danna." The blue eyes dulled to a softer gaze, lacing half closed.

But the redhead stiffened. He only meant to throw the other off, but now he was being _touched_, making the situation different. And the blonde's words, were they metaphoric or literal? Either way would be a little worrying.

"And what do you mean by that, brat?" Sasori spoke sharply, but it seemed the other took no notice in his tone.

"I don't have many comparisons, but… I guess your touch just feels more real, less… coaxed. Like you actually care…"

"That's enough, you said you had no comparisons."

"I said I don't have many."

"Like I said, enough." The redhead shifted off the other, going back into thought. This made the blonde frown slightly as he sat up next to the other… so close.

"…Sasori, un…?"

"What?" His patience running down, the elder looked at the now even softer spoken Deidara who was looking down at his tight fists in his lap.

"What do you think… about the situation…?"

"Situation?"

"Everything that's happened… since you met me. What do you think about it, hn?"

The redhead snickered, not needing more than a second to answer truthfully. "This has to be one of the most annoying, _unneeded_, events that has ever happened to me."

"I see… un… Sorry for getting you into it then…" Deidara blinked down, not wanting to make eye contact.

"What are you talking about? Its because of my connection to you through the hotline that you got mix into all of this."

"Un?" He then looked up, unintentionally locking their eyes together through the heavy atmosphere.

"Yes, did you not know?"

"I…" he was stunned, wasn't he the one that dragged Sasori into all of this?

"It's true. Through our communications on the hotline, it seems your step mother found me and informed Uragirimono, who she had been working with. He requested you as a payment for her debut and she agreed, then he gave you to me I guess to grab my attention."

"But… how do you know Uragirimono?" There was a small tint of fear to his voice, but his composure smooth and his posture was straight as he kept his eyes locked with the brown. Deidara was not going to let his swirling heart get the better of him. No matter what it felt, he needed to stay calm and listen.

"I don't have many memories of my childhood. So I'm guessing he was somehow involved in my life during that area of time, but I have no firm basis or reassurance that this is true."

"That can't be true Sasori, he looked to be in his thirties, and you cant be that much older than twenty-two, un."

"Haven't I told you that I'm older than I look? And I also told you that I have no straight answer as to how that man is related to me yet, so I would drop the subject."

"Un… but how much older, I wonder…" he mumbled on purpose, not wanting the other to hear his statement clearly. His blush now down to a light pink, Deidara looked at the still in thought Sasori.

"Though…" the redhead continued looking up at the ceiling with a blank stare. "I can't say this hasn't been interesting. My next job doesn't start for a while still, and this has been keeping me… entertained, in certain ways. But you…" the elder looked at him, his eyes faraway. "Are completely useless and possibly the worst liability I could ever have."

Deidara didn't speak after that. He didn't know what he could say to rebut, mostly because he knew it was true. The whole town was searching for him, including, most likely, four out of the five deadliest gangs were hunting him down. On top of that, he no longer had his clay to use as a weapon, and he knew nothing about artillery.

The hollowness suddenly beat up, stronger than ever, the warmth now a dry cold.

Standing up without a word, he left shutting the door lightly, leaving Sasori to his thoughts.

Turning down the hall and up the stairs, the blonde went straight across the living room and into the kitchen, ignoring all of the eyes that struck him. Going across Gakupo who didn't really seem to notice him; he opened the fridge. When he usually felt like this, like he needed to be alone, he would get his clay and just mess with it while just staying locked up in his room. But he didn't have his clay, and he didn't want to be anywhere near his old room. So now he was looking in the fridge, looking for anything that could keep his hands busy, as if he did have his cool earth.

"Looking for something?" with the taller purple haired man now noticing his presence, it became increasingly hard to keep his expression from sinking.

"Just looking for something to keep my hands busy, un… and then some place quiet."

"You want to be alone?"

"That would be preferred."

It seemed as if Gakupo picked up on the blonde's mood fairly quickly. Understanding that sympathy required empathy, he put his hand on Deidara's shoulder to show comfort.

"I know some where that you can be alone. No one in this entire building would dare go in there or even make a sound if the door is closed."

"Really, un?"

The older man of the two felt sliced in half by the blue eyes. They were so lost and cold, but still so… clouded, as if there was no soul behind them.

The older man winced.

"Yeah… come with me…"

Gakupo grabbed his wrist and led him upstairs to the very last door on the right that was opened to a crack. Throwing the door wide open, he gestured toward the stairs, in which the blonde took a curious look up. The wooden case went up a ways. The wood looked to be rotting; while nails were falling out of the layers of the splintery brown. It honestly did look to be a place where no one would disturb you…

"You can wait in here, no one will even bother to make a sound on this floor if this door is closed."

"But I was up here last night… it wasn't open then, un."

"That's because I was in there."

"Oh."

Only shying away a little from the taller man, Deidara stepped up the stairs and out of sight. The door gave a soft pat as it shut behind him, but up he went. The only thing he found himself coming up to was a small platform up against a wall and a little balcony looking out to the city. It was cloudy outside again, a melancholy haze hanging in the sky like an ax about to slice down to take a life. There was no rain; no thunder or lightning. But there also was no blue, or sun. It was just an endless gray, threatening to inhale what little happiness there was with a storm of merciless wind, stinging rain, drum breaking thunder, and energy taking lightning. The clouds… they just hung there though… fitting the young artist's mood dead on.

11:00 P.M.

Hours had passed like seconds, and the house was now quiet and still.

Sasori had not left the room, seeing no reason to interact when he was in such a mood. His mind was heavy with strange reason and weak emotions, pros and cons, ideas both practical and almost nonsensical. And this was all because of Deidara. The brat had asked what he thought about the situation up 'til now, and he had given a very curt and simple explanation that was honest, but not fully true. So, he had thought about everyday up 'til then, thinking about how each scenario changed with time.

The first day on the phone was pretty normal. The only thing being was he terrible at his job as a suicide hotline operator, and teen hadn't given him any real hints as to why he was depressed. But he got the important things down, such as his name, Deidara, and the fact that he liked art, even if it was totally wrong.

The second day was when he officially got his regular. He had learned a lot more about the boy, such as how much he enjoyed his own type of art, not to mention that the brat had told him about the new exhibit that was opening up at one of the museums.

The third was when things really started changing. The redhead had gone to the exhibit to look around, only to notice an out of place teen that turned out to be his regular, or so he half guessed at the time. But when he had his nightly conversation with the blonde, the other had denied everything. Dropping and changing the subject quickly, that was also the night Deidara learned his name.

The forth day was rather boring. He went through his normal schedule in the day with no hitch, but the brat didn't call. It wasn't like he get worried over such a small matter. Deidara was still in high school and could of very well been studying for one of his end of the year exams, or anything along those lines. So he didn't think much of it.

But then the fifth day came, with a hard pounding rain at that. He was running late to work and was rushing back to get to his apartment so he could get to work, only to find a drugged blonde that he had to force poison into. He had learned a lot that night, though. He had learned how truly horrid the mayor was to give up her own step son and how much Deidara suffered through the years. He had also learned that the brat's virginity was taken… And that kinda, actually… made him mad, that thought…

The sixth day had been a little more chaotic. Cherry had found Deidara and forced him to show the teen to everyone that lived in the building. That was how the brat met everyone else, and this was both a blessing and a curse. He wanted to leave that day to get some things, but then it dawned upon him. More than one group of people were going to be looking for them, meaning they would have to fight at some point. But they would have to find out who was after them to get prepared, so he headed back to the apartments to find the blonde in a more melancholy mood than he left him, but still accepting to visit his step mother. So, he had to take the special medicine Nana Gem made. This made the brat mobile again, but things from that point on started to take the turn for interesting, so to say…

Early on the seventh day, they went to the back of the large estate that sheltered the info they needed. Entering without bloodshed, he could not say they left the same way. He had slain many soft souls of order and splattered the disgusting blood of the weak, lastly, Deidara and set fire to the place he hated with one of his explosions. It was a brilliant night in the least, but still completely useless.

The next morning, on the eighth day, was a little more useful informational wise. They had found out Itazura was alive and they had decided to go to a meeting of nothing but killers. Though, he had done the first unspeakable thing that day. He had marked Deidara for the wrong and right reasons that were both selfish and almost reassuring. Almost…

The ninth day was intriguing. They had learned a lot such as the existence of Uragirimono, and who the leaders of rest of the cities gangs were. They also found out that Deidara wasn't sold, but was raped by Uragirimono who was somehow connected to his past, and was now using the blonde for twisted reasons. All and all, many things were learned.

Breaking early on the tenth morning, they were found out by a girl revealing they were not the true Kyoko leader, for she was an old member that went missing. Sasori was still debating on whether he should tell the others that Luka was no longer missing… Then there was a moment… one where he was about to lose all his cool. And that was when Deidara jumped out in the middle of fire to start shooting, almost at random, at the ceiling. The brat could of just told him instead of being stupid and reckless what he was planning… But when they got home, both half dead and tired, the blonde had tried sneaking into his bed. Rendering to exhausted to fight, the other climbing into his bed, soon uttering quiet words of a solemn questioning.

"_Danna, un…? Exactly, what am I to you?"_

Sasori remembered how he stayed silent then, and how painful the next words must have been for the blonde to say next. But was he really supposed to do? Deidara had become like a _virus_. Basically destroying his reasoning and common sense and replacing them with confusion and second guessing. And he hated it. Never in his life had he been so contradicted with his own mind. It was almost as if he was young again, and waiting… waiting…

He stopped himself there and decided to get back on task. There was no reason to relive past events…

The eleventh day they went shopping for clothes, only to be found by some bitch that thought they were Deidara's girlfriend. So they had to run and hide and then get back to the apartments where they met up with Cherry, who agreed to take them to the Kyoko, which then led to the current moment.

No, wait. There was one other moment that led up to the situation currently. He had kissed Deidara; and to his surprise, the younger had kissed back. Sasori couldn't remember it exactly, but he knew it felt miraculous to have the blonde's lips against his. And he did care about the Deidara, so what did people do when they care for someone…?

Meanwhile, Deidara had come out of the small space, his mind no longer swirling. He had decided on something that made things simple, he would keep his mind blank. It was possible that Sasori no Danna was just messing with him, so if he did nothing and thought about nothing, he couldn't be tricked. No matter how much it hurt to ignore how his heart felt and what his mind now said…

He went down stairs to find nothing but a dark room; everyone now mostly likely in bed. Moving carefully across the wood, he was right in front of the door that led down to where Kaito's brothers slept and the guest bedroom where he resided, when he suddenly heard a deep and smooth tune coming from the other door, the one that led down into the concrete room.

Curiosity fueling him, he went down the stairs, only to see Kikaito playing a deep and lulling song. He then began to sing…

This town of night

Is lit by a light

The sound of a creaking gear and a wheel

It echoed as I walked

I don't even have an address to go to

And I'm not able to walk well

Why must I have been born?

Why is my heart the color of silver?

In distant old days, that person spoke to me

"You are a special doll"

Dancing and singing

As he praised me

Even now I sing, always

He will not awake his eyes and also sing

Why must I have been born?

I'll only continue singing for eternity

Someday I'll sleep

And go to the wonderful place where that person is

My wish does not come true

I sing, live and break alone

Time passes

And I even forget songs

I hurry to the place where that person sleeps

While I drag my cracked body

I fall down many times

The place where you're able to see the sea is attached with flowers

Now, I'll go to sleep

Together with that person

My wish will come true

"It was enough that you lived alone"

I heard that person's voice, it was close by

In my dreams, I heard the voice many times

It resounds kindly in my heart

A peaceful light

Envelopes me

And I smile

I smile

The melody slowed to a stop, with Kikaito smiling to himself.

Deidara stood against the wall in aw. It wasn't just the song that left him stunned, it was the other's voice. It was just so _deep. _And the blonde before him did not seem like the type to have such a voice, though he had never heard the other speak before, even so. Kikaito was shorter than Kaito, but had blonde hair and amber eyes that currently looked soft. So the man definitely didn't portray the type to have such a mellifluous sound…

"You were listening?" The sincere strong tone made him jump while Kikaito looking at him from across the room.

Deidara took slow steps across the space at a careful pace. "Un… the song sounds really good, did you write it?"

"Yes… Gakupo is the one that usually writes the songs, but since he has been… in his current state… I'm the one that has been doing it. Do you really like it?"

"Yeah, it sounds really good. Who did you write it for?" Deidara asked sitting down next to the other blonde.

"I think this song is going to go to Rin, she's been wanting a new song like this. You could almost say her and her brother are more merciful when it comes to their jobs. But that is to be expected, they are only fourteen."

"Un… Did it go something like this?" Deidara closed his eyes and placed his fingers on the keyboard. Letting the song play in his ears once again, only then did he let his fingers glide across the grand piano, recreating the beautiful sound.

Kikaito's eyes widened. Deidara was playing the song perfectly only two octaves higher so it wasn't so low. He knew the boy had only heard the song once, heck, he had just finish the song right when the other came down, but yet he was playing it perfectly.

Shock fading to a smile, he started to play along with the other blonde, their in sync fingers lacing the notes together beautifully.

They played for a while, following each other's lead to create an almost random but easily intertwined masterpiece. But Deidara, for the first time since who knows when, was playing the piano out of his own free will and to his enjoyment. He could even remember, almost, that phase he went through when he was younger where he wanted to ultimately please his parents and make them proud of him. So he learned piano with the help of his tutor, easily mastering it to the point he could teach someone else.

But honestly, he had no idea why he was suddenly playing so well. He only knew he was satisfied with his new reasoning. The song that Kikaito created had almost, self consciously, given him a new way to handle the situation with the redhead. He wasn't going to stay blank, he was going to do whatever Sasori no Danna wanted 'til the end of his time. Doing whatever the elder wanted would make him happy, and the other wouldn't get mad at him if he did exactly as he said. It was a win/win situation, where he necessarily wouldn't get hurt.

And then something came to him.

"Kikaito, were they serious when the said me and Danna have to make a song, un?"

"Yes. Though I don't know why you were complaining about making one, you should be able to make one in a snap if your this good at piano."

"Well, I've got a little more inspiration now, but you wouldn't mind helping me would you, un?"

DAY 14 – 1:11 A.M. – SUNDAY

Sasori lay looking up at the ceiling, under his blankets yet wide awake, thinking about the resolve he had come up with…

The door slid open, and the redhead saw Deidara enter, quietly getting under the covers without making to much noise. Figuring the other had been waiting for him to fall asleep, he didn't move until he was sure the other was knocked out. Turning over carefully, he looked at the blonde, thinking of his solution.

As soon as everything was said and done, he would disappear.

After a while of thinking, he came to a conclusion that you did what was best for the people you cared for. And the best thing for Deidara was for him not to exist. So he would vanish from sight. From this city. Even from the country if needed. He would do it, because that was what was best for the other. And doing what was best for the people you cared for was the right thing to do…

"Goodnight… Deidara…" Taking in one simple moment of sweet innocence, he pecked the blonde's forehead, a faint smile growing on his lips.

Sasori really didn't know, but Deidara was awake, and feeling those soft lips gently pressing to forehead. He felt happy.

Acting as if he was asleep, he let his arms wrap around the other, pulling them closer together. "Goodnight Danna, un…"

The redhead being a little wide eyed; let his smile soften just the tiniest bit. Wondering if the blonde was doing this to him on purpose, he wrapped his arms around the other, mentally telling himself to wake up early the next morning so the brat wouldn't wake up in this position and catch him in a weak moment of care.


	17. Expression and its Many Forms

**DISCLAMINER: Umm… I'm not really angry or tired like I usually am when I do the disclaimer so I'll just say it like a good person. I don't own Naruto :] And I of course don't own the songs anyone sings here. But I do hope you enjoy it *nods head*.**

**A/N: And my gosh I'm happy though! I have people threatening me to write! That may seem kinda weird to say this but that just makes me completely giddy! But I have to say in a matter of on topic slight seriousness, that I like this chap. I think the last chapter I had a nice time writing was 'Halfway There' and that was like chapter 12. So its been a while since I've been in a nice enough mood to make a good chap where things are cool and full I guess.**

**Quick question though. Do you guys like the Kyoko (aka the vocaloids)? Because I have a few not really crack little ideas for them and Deidara that either are kinda cute, funny and almost meaningful. And you get to see a little more of their true characters and how they act. Plus you'd get to see some of their relationships between them *wink wink nudge nudge* and just some of their plain craziness all around! **

**But aren't you guys excited? You get to hear the songs Deidara and Sasori make in this chapter. And this is going to be another long one, so be prepared. Though, isn't that what you guys wanted in the beginning…? Longer chapters I mean? Anyway, Deidara's song in this chap is called Iroha Uta and is sung by Clear* and Sasori's song is called Marionette, fitting right? But his song is another male chorus and I must say, both songs are very… pleasant, in a sense of sexiness. XD And when Clear sings in Deidara's song, he OWNS it like nothing else. So definitely listen to that one no matter what.**

***For those of you that don't know, Clear and Ask are not vocaloids. They are part of the Nico Nico Douga (NND for short) and they are real people that sing and create vocaloid songs.**

**Deidara's and Clear's song link is:**

**http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=CYizsgIerjc**

**Sasori's and the male chorus song is: **

**http:/www . Youtube . com/watch?v=kksBKOLT7XU**

DAY 14 – SUNDAY – 9:16 A.M.

When Sasori woke up, he was alone in the bed. Slightly grimacing, he hoped he had moved in his sleep so the blonde hadn't waken up to how he was when he first went into slumber…

He got up to stretch and change into the last pair of clothes the Kyoko had offered him to use for the time being. Going out of his room, down the hall and up the stairs, he found himself in the norm of the dysfunctional household of the Kyoko. Everyone was moving about and making unneeded noise, the exceptions being Deidara and Ask; who seemed to be having a small conversation with Clear. The three of them were the outsiders to the true gang; so the three of them sat at the kitchen table as the rest of the building chased after a stumbling Nigaito with an apple in his grasp. Waiting for a second for the small mob of gang members to pass, the redhead went to sit next to Deidara who was happily munching on his cereal.

"Morning Danna, un! Did you sleep good?"

"I fell asleep just fine. Waking up was the least pleasant part…" Quickly running his fingers through his hair, the elder wonder what exactly his own words meant.

"I would suspect, they've been going at this for a half an hour, un." Deidara pointed out of boredom at the still continuing Kyoko with his spoon, but his smile returned when he looked back at his the redhead. "Even if the mattress is questionable, I think I slept good, un."

"And what do you mean by that brat?" The redhead narrowed his eyes, now not trusting anyone's words.

Because they all could be lies.

"Hn? I just meant what I said Danna, I slept well." He then continued to eat his cereal, a smile playing on his lips. Oh yes, he knew _exactly_ why he slept well.

"Deidara-chan~!" Ask suddenly grabbed onto the blonde's arm, making Sasori's eyes narrow even more. "Now that Sasori-san is up, isn't it about time to start?" The blue haired man started to lift up out of his chair, almost completely leaning in on Deidara.

"Get off of him Ask." with two voices in unison, both brown and amber eyes glowered harshly.

"And keep your ass _down_." Clear came up behind the smaller man and pushed him back into his chair. Ask somehow going on reflex, he put his thumb below his bottom lip to pout with puppy eyes in Deidara's direction.

"But Deidara-chan~! Wasn't I right?"

"Un…"

"Huh?" The two men looked at the young blonde artist, while Ask smirked strongly, Deidara stood up and made the small rumble between the Kyoko cease.

"Meiko, I finished my song, un."

A small smile from Kikaito in the mix of the stunned faces, Meiko stepped up with a raised eyebrow and a grin. "Oh, really now? Do you have it written down?"

"Un!" Deidara pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket to then hand to Meiko, and she scanned it quickly with an amused grin.

"This is actually really good for your first time Deidara. Now the only question left is who's gonna sing it…"

"Uh?"

"Don't worry, we don't expect you to sing but… Clear, you wanna give this song a try?" She handed the paper to the glaring man as he stepped up, a grin taking his face at the end of his read.

"Sure. How about I put on a little show for everyone. Here, in the living room." His enthusiasm growing after the mass of murmured agreements, everyone situated themselves in the living room as the ego swollen Clear popped up on top of the TV.

Sasori only wanted to stand against the wall to listen to the song, not really wanting to talk to the brat about it, but his wrist was grabbed. Looking over, he saw Kikaito. "Come now. Don't you want to hear Deidara's song?" The deep baritone voice did not shock him. The redhead had known Kikaito before hand by accident. They both had been hired for a job and got to know each other fairly well, especially considering their similarities. So he allowed the Shion brother to pull him over to the crowded area, the taller man forcing him down to the ground by the side of the couch. Right where Deidara was sitting.

Clear coughed to get everyone's attention, smirking almost falling as all sound ceased. Quickly reading over the lyrics and closing his eyes to find a melody of his own. After a minuet of waiting, he took a breath.

"If you have a strong need for me to be

I am as a dog who cannot be free

With a cord, with a rope, or with a chain

In your reach will I always remain

If you want, then as a kitten I will be

And I will then do so dutifully

With fingers, with my feet, and with my lips

Satisfy your every command

The one who falls victim to

What they're longing for the most

Things like that really do not matter at all

Colors burst out like paint scattered across the wall

There's no one who can always be their best

I want to find out more than just skin deep things

Today I can go above the transient world

Without dreaming of untrue euphoria

Let your colors stain me by your

Chiro- ha ni ho he to chi ri nu ru o

Ah~

I can be a camellia flower

Blooming in winter's every hour

With rain or frost having me deep encased

My display cannot be replaced

Or maybe you would instead prefer a rose

To see it in an almost falling pose

With the hair and the neck filled with sweet smell

Being wrapped in death's scent as I fell

I still am far from what I

Want, being stained to the bone

If that's all there is, I don't feel at all fulfilled

Colors burst out like paint scattered across the wall

There's no one who can always be their best

I want to find out more than just skin deep things

Today I can go above the transient world

Without dreaming of untrue euphoria

I will change who I am only for your sake

Ah

Ah~!

Colors burst out like paint scattered across the wall

There's no one who can always be their best

I want to find out more than just skin deep things

Today I can go above the transient world

Without dreaming of untrue euphoria

Let me stay with you even in death

I ro ha ni ho he to, staying anywhere

Ah~~~!"

There was silence first. But the man with dirty blonde hair strutted over to Deidara who looked up at the elder man. Flinching back a little as he saw an arm come out; when he opened his eyes, it was nothing but an offered hand.

"Nice job," Clear gave a small smile. "For your first song, that was very well done, but did it serve its purpose?" Giving a light hearted snicker, he walked out of the room, many of the Kyoko following in awe. It seems it was rare for the older blonde to give a complement.

But Deidara blinked.

Purpose…?

Then he was suddenly aware of his hand. It was warm and was holding something smooth and cool. His eyes darted down. He was holding Sasori's hand… He did not know who grabbed who's first, but it was still pleasant and worrying with the current blank look on the puppeteer's face.

"Was that song supposed to be some kind of message to me, brat?"

Resisting the heat rising to his cheeks, he looked out of the corner of his bright eye, and squeezed the hand in his grasp. "What do you think Danna?"

The redhead staying blank; took his own liberty and shook the blonde's hand off and walked back toward the door that led down stairs and out of sight.

So the younger curled up to a small fetal position, his hands gripping his pants tightly.

"What do I have to do Danna, un…? What do I have to do…?"

And just like before, Deidara was in a crowd, him being the star, but he was still invisible. He was still lost…

DAY 17 – WEDNSDAY – 5:42 P.M

"Hello all!" A strong and familiar voice brightened the dark room. Everyone was in the living room, surrounding and overlapping the furniture because they all were watching a movie. The only thing being strange was Deidara and Sasori were on opposite sides of the room… "What's goin' on?" Cherry raised an eyebrow as she set Meme down who immediately went over to Nigaito, the two instantly sharing small smiles.

"Movie time!" Miku chirped. "Come and join us!"

"Maybe in a while. I actually brought some things for Deidara in this bag," she held up a large backpack that looked stuffed, her eyes now locking with his. "Did they give you a room? There's like a ton of junk in here and I don't think this is the proper place to empty it all out."

"Sure, un." The blonde stood up to step over all the other people on the ground. Leading the female redhead down stairs and into his shared room, he quickly sat on the bed as Cherry slung the bag off her shoulder and plopped down next to him with a serious look.

"Alright, what's up with you?"

"Un?"

"I'm not just here to drop off your crap Deidara. I got a call from Meiko. She said you were acting weird, and with the way she described it, she basically said you sounded _depressed_. And I may not know the entire story between you and Sasori, but I know for a fact your suicidal. Now whether or not you are a little more happy with your life, which I'm not sure why that would be with all that's happened, no one stops being suicidal just like that. Now what happened with Sasori?"

Staggered and numb, the clay artist had slowly curled up into a loose ball during her small rant. He didn't really want to answer straight away, and he probably couldn't for that matter. Because, mostly, during the past three days, things had been miserable. This may have been because this wasn't the usual hollowness that taunted him. The old hollowness had never before brought pain. But this was an ache, and almost a need at the same time, making the past couple of days unbearable. In conclusion, Cherry had been dead on when she said he looked depressed, because on the outside, that's what it would look like to most people.

And if anything, his 'depression' had gotten worse.

"Come on Deidara. I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Staying silent still, he pulled out the lyrics to the song he wrote with the help of Kikaito, and the redhead girl took it to scan over.

"Was this the song they had you write?"

He nodded.

"This is really good Deidara! But I don't get… You were trying to tell him something with this, weren't you?"

"It didn't happen on purpose, un… my thoughts just kinda escaped on to the paper…" He undid his scrunched up body and laid back on the bed, his gold locks fanning out along the covers.

"So I guess you got dumped?" She questioned him lightly. Cherry never would of guessed that certain scenario would ever come into consideration, but the puppeteer had surprised her in the past.

"He didn't really answer…"

She stretched her limbs out long and looked down at the cloudy eyed blonde, she flinched at the other's expression. It was just so _sad_… Half closed eyes looking out past the boundaries of space. His mouth slightly gaped. Face paled and numb. Not even a professional actor could even shadow such suffering that was marked on the innocent teen…

"So how has he acted to you since then?" She didn't let her eyes bat, afraid she might miss something if she did.

"He's only talked to me a few times, un… And when he does its weird things… almost as if he's testing me to see if I'll do what he's says. But I'll do anything for him, un… anything he wants. And now its there again… the hollowness. Only this time, it hurts, un."

Cherry watched as the blonde as he cradled his heart, only then able to speak a question that made her turn motherly in a sense.

"What's this hollowness your talking about?"

"It's what I used to feel… when I was around everyone else, un. It stopped when I met Sasori though… but it's back, and it hurts like hell, un…"

Watching him closely as she moved slowly, her eyes widen just the tiniest bit. "Does it hurt here?" She pointed to his chest and lightly tapped over his heart. A nod being her response, she smiled gently and flopped down on her back next to Deidara. "I think…" he looked over at her as she spoke. "Well, I don't think… that's your hollowness Deidara. I think it's love. Only your getting the bad part of it right now."

"Hn… Heartbreak, un…"

"That's what most call it. But I don't think you have to worry that much by the way."

"…And why is that, hn?" He sent her a glare. But instead of flinching, she smiled.

"Because I can read you and Sasori like a book."

"Well if you can read him, I'd love some interpretation, un." Deidara rubbed his eyes with the bottom of his palms, careful not to the his hand mouths feel the nearby skin, knowing he would be licked if they did.

Cherry gave a laugh and sat up, pulling Deidara with her so they were in a sitting position again, the only difference being she had better posture.

"Sasori… he's different now that he's met you. I can tell. He used to barely show anything to anyone. Not even caring for humanity itself almost, the apathetic bastard. But Deidara, he cares for you so much. You may not be able to tell because you don't know what he was like before but… I… I don't know that much about him, but I can tell and say without a doubt that he feels that same way you do."

"I don't really know that much about him either, un…" his voice starting to drift, he suddenly remembered the small conversation he had with Kikaito a few nights back when he helped him write his song, right before he left to go to bed…

FLASHBACK – DAY 14 – SUNDAY – 12:58 A.M. 

"Thanks for helping me Kikaito, it doesn't sound that bad to me, so we'll have to see what everyone else thinks, un." A young blonde blushed and looked down at his piece of folded paper while standing up. He could actually say he was excited for everyone to hear what he wrote…

"No problem. If you need anything else, go ahead and tell me." The elder blonde smiled at him, reassuring his word.

The younger actually liked the man in front of him. The baritone was very polite, but also knew how to joke. It almost seemed like the other blonde was his first real friend.

"If you don't mind me asking, un… what's with your voice, hn?"

The pianist chuckled, smirking almost. "I guess you would be curious. Here, I'll show you." The man rolled up his left sleeve and pants leg, showing all white metal…

"Oh… I'm sorry, un. I didn't mean to-!"

"Its quite alright. This happened years ago, and I guess you could almost call me a half robot. So when they started to mess with my body, my vocal chords changed also. But I guess you could say me and Sasori are alike in this certain way." He smiled serenely, but younger was taken back.

"What do you mean you're alike, un…?"

The other blonde looked up stunned. "I mean…" he stopped. "Deidara, how much do you exactly know about Sasori?"

"I…" That was a good question. Exactly how much did the blonde know about the other artist? "What about you, hn? What do you know?"

The serene smile came back then, and the yellow eyes looking down at the piano keys. "Probably more than most. We met years ago on a job, that's how we met before hand."

Getting past his stunned mind, the younger tried to continue. "Then what do you mean when you say your-"

"I can't, Deidara… If he hasn't told you these things yet, that means he's not comfortable expressing them. I found out by coincidence. So I am not going to reveal anything he is not ready to show. I'm sorry."

END FLASHBACK

Deidara left after the other blonde had said that, not really sure what to do if he stayed.

"I wouldn't worry about what you don't know. You should focus on what you do know." Cherry said giving her gentle advice, and got a look in return that surround his edges.

"And what exactly do I know…?"

"You love him, don't you?"

The blonde froze straight. Years. It had been years since he could say he loved someone, the last persons being his brother and sister. After their death's, his parents changed and so did the few friends he had. As they all faded away, he was left alone, not even leaving one person he could say he loved in any way.

"Well? Don't you…?"

"I… I don't know… I've never been in love before, un…" He half lied, because the truth was he didn't even remember what real real love was any more.

"Hmph, neither have I." Cherry leaned back on her hands as Deidara stared at her, shocked.

"Surprised? I'm not. My past is not pretty Deidara, neither is Sasori's I'm guessing. But that doesn't mean you can't make his future worth while."

"But you've never been in true love, un?"

"No Deidara. I've never been in true love…" she zoned out for a second, her eyes far away in the distance of another world, possibly of memories. But she came back, eventually. "The closest I've ever come to love, is my love for Meme, but that's different... But I do know how to tell when your in true love… When your around that person, you suddenly feel better."

That was… true. When he was around Sasori, the hollowness disappeared and something new appeared. Something he had no real proper name for.

"You would give anything for that person."

That he didn't need to think about. He would do anything for his Danna's sake. But even doing the small things. Like not annoying and him on purpose. Getting something for him. Stuff like that; it would make him happy to do it because it was his Danna.

"You work well together. You may fight but you work well together to get things done."

Deidara thought back to the night they invaded Itazura's now destroyed home and the night they posed as the Kyoko leader. Oh yes, they may fight about art, but they definitely could work together.

"You help each other as much as you can."

Well, he didn't know how much he helped the puppeteer, but Sasori had helped him immensely just in the past days.

"And when you kiss them, you don't just feel lust or attraction, you feel… happy."

That night, in the rain when they kissed, he was happy. It was a lifting bursting and bright feeling of happiness that made him never want to leave the other's side, and he didn't have to that night, but after that… it was almost like they avoided the subject. Though he had tried to bring it up… it didn't go well. Still, after going through his thoughts…

He blinked.

"I'm in love with Sasori, un."

Time was irrelevant to such a moment of truth, but upstairs, where Sasori sat in the dark room lit by the old black and white movie playing on the screen, time seemed to be never ending.

The redhead was wondering, as it happened, what was taking Deidara and Cherry so long. Were they talking, and if they were, about what subject? His mind was in rapt. Everything, everything that went through his mind was somehow connected to the brat. So he was left in a situation he had no experience in. Never, had he thought so much about one person. Never, had he cared so much about one person. Never, had one person cared so much _back_. And remembering a few days ago, to that one moment at the end on the blonde's song, he could all but hope he didn't give the younger a bad impression of what he really meant. True it was in his nature to act such a way, but he could of at least of done something else...

But he almost couldn't help it. The lyrics had surprised him. Because…

In the song, Deidara had said he would change himself to please him, but that was the thing. Such words did not fit the blonde's character. Though depressed and suffocated as he may be from his old life, Deidara was not the type to serve on order, but on his will. He could see it sometimes, the strong, cocky and art obsessed teen he was. That Deidara seemed more like a brat, but still, he wouldn't hate that side oh him either…

"Sasori?"

"Hn?" He turned to see Kikaito behind him, looking a little worried eyed in his direction.

"You seem a little out of mind. Are you distracted by something?"

"Ah, yes. I suppose I have been in my own world for quite some time today."

"Is there something that has been troubling you?"

"In less than many words, yes, I suppose there has been something troubling me." Sasori pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned against the bottom part of the recliner where Gumi sat. The girl paying no attention what so ever, the blonde baritone smiled.

"I might be able to help. You still have to write your song, and writing is a form of expression, just like art. Perhaps it could help clear your mind if you let me work with you to create some lyrics?"

Sasori narrowed his eyes and sat up more straight. "Are you planning something with Deidara? You two have seemed close lately."

No. He would not say he was jealous, he was above such a petty thing. Deidara was another human that could do as he pleased. Then again… The brat's song did claim he would do anything the puppeteer said. So who's to say Deidara would back out of his 'request' if he said to ignored everyone accept him? He wondered…

Kikaito gave a small smile. "No, I doubt either one of us would do a wrong against you. But I do think becoming a lyricist to a certain extent of time could help you."

Thinking for a few minuets, he nodded. "Fine, you may help me see if I can get my thoughts out on to paper."

DAY 19 – FRIDAY – 7:32 P.M.

It was worrying by now. The night Cherry came, the last advice she had given Deidara was to give the redhead time to think a little, but to also give him subtle hints. He could of half guessed it, but Sasori was impatient and hated to keep people waiting, so he figured he would of seen some sign by now. But... He had left the hints all day yesterday day, but the puppeteer hadn't said anything. And now he couldn't the elder all day, _literally_! Ever since he had woken up, he couldn't even find him. Which was probably the most troublesome thing.

"Hey Deidara-chan!" Ask popped up next to him on the couch where he had been watching TV with Meiko and Kaito. "Why do you look so glum?"

Most of the people in the building said Ask was annoying and that it was a miracle that Clear could even stand him in the first place. But Deidara didn't think like that. Ask was actually nice most of the time, and though a little mischievous, the only problem the blonde found with the other man was he didn't know when to stop flirting. Because honestly, how comfortable would you be if another man was flirting with you all the time subconsciously when the man your trying to get with could be watching? Honestly…

"Just thinking I guess…"

"I see, you did _seem_ a little out there." The blue haired man grinned. "So you excited to hear Sasori-san's song?"

"Un…?"

"Didn't you know? Kikaito and Sasori-san have been downstairs working on it all day. And from the few times Kikaito has come upstairs for food, it seems its going well."

So that's why… "How come its taken them an entire day to write it then, hn?"

"I think Kikaito said he was in the mood for a chorus, so that's why. And when he composes songs that involve a chorus, you know for a fact its going to be amazing."

"Seriously, un?"

"Mmm-hmm! They should actually be done soon. Miku has been dieing to hear it so it should be any minute that he comes up here to tell everyone to come downstairs."

"Hn? Who's going to sing?"

"Not sure. It depends on what he thinks will fit to Sasori-san's song."

"Un…"

Now having some reassurance that Sasori wasn't avoiding him or something of the sorts, he waited patiently for another half hour with Ask right next to him. All the while watching the door to down stairs.

Finally, the door opened, Kikaito's head popping out.

"You all can come down stairs now. I've decided who's singing and I think we're ready."

Being anxious enough, Deidara was the first one down the stairs, and the first to plant his butt on a couch as everyone else following behind him. But he didn't get to sit long.

"Deidara."

He looked over to see Kikaito gesturing him near the piano, right where Sasori was. Deciding to bid the beckoned call, he stood before the other blonde, the redhead being only a few feet away sorting through papers.

"I'm going to be one of the ones singing," the deep voice said bring back his attention. "So would you mind playing the piano? I already have a grandmaster sheet right here. It has the music, parts, lyrics and everything. Do you think can play it?" The other blonde handed him five papers and scanned over them quickly, not seeing it all to difficult.

"Sure. Its not that hard, un." Deidara took the papers and placed them on the stand connected to the piano to then sit down, he caught Sasori watching him out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"You play piano?" Sasori asked with a raised eyebrow, the blonde suddenly feeling relieved that the other had spoken to him, even if it was a little bit.

"Un. I learned it when I was younger and I'm not bad at it either."

"I see…" The redhead disappeared into the small crowd, leaving a small hole in the younger's chest.

"Alight," Kikaito's deep voice got everyone's attention. "The people who will be singing in this chorus will be myself, Kaito, Akaito, Taito, Len, Clear, Ask and…" he looked over to the purple haired man. "Gakupo…? Are you up to singing again?"

All eyes turned to the tall, violet haired man who gave a weak smile. "I'll have to start again eventually now wont I?"

Kikaito and everyone smiled, Deidara being one of them.

The eight men got a sheet of paper that most likely had the notes and lyrics on it. And once everyone was settled, sitting on the couches, and the men tuned their voices quickly, the blonde brother nodded to him, telling the clay artist to start playing. And so he started to play. His fingers gliding, all the while listening to the lyrics and the song itself. In the end being astonished beyond all belief.

"Thread and Honey intertwine

What do you live to feel? What do you want to find?

I wont ask and I don't need the answer.

A~ Ha~ Ha~

You comply to my orders with eager replies

I wont let anyone but me see or hear your obedient attitude

Oh~ oh~

Everything we do is according to my whim,

be it putting on or taking off your dress

However that's not the kind of things I want to do

I'm scared of touching your delicate self (I might break you)

Its not that I want to make you anxious

Its just that I'm a coward

I want to touch you

Don't laugh without me monkey lady

A marionette that belongs to me only

Much deeper than a kiss

I want to feel you

… That's the truth

I have fallen head over heels for you, I don't want you to find out

I cant let you see inside my cold eyes

I am not trying to win with tactics,

I'm only being cowardly

Your eyes turn to glass

In truth, I just want to love you with sweet and melting love (I want to love you)

I want to see only your smile

I want to be by your side

…There is no return

Give me your mind.

Offer me all your love.

I don't need a marionette

Even though I own you already,

Why am I not contented?

In the end nothing has changed, nothing can change

Even though I'm such a silly fool

Please kindly tell me,

The kind of love that I've been looking for

Is this it?

Burning a wider and deeper crimson than ruby

Throw that crude pride away somewhere

Blow a breath of love into the glass eyes

I want your words, your body and your heart

Can I touch even your heart?

Hold me, hold me, hold me

Hold me, sooth me, hold me

Yearning, wretched, lonely, longing

If one day, these 'strings'

Were cut off setting you free

I guess the red 'string' of destiny that ties us

Will break with it also

However,

I cant laugh without you super lady

Aren't I the one that is trapped?

Controlled by the strings called 'you'

I am your personal…

Marionette…"

Deidara finished the notes and held in his out burst. The entire time he had been playing, he had also been reading the lyrics, finding that some of it did sound like things Sasori would write, while things... he couldn't even fathom the idea of the elder saying such words. So, quickly, he went over to Kikaito before things got to hectic.

"Kikaito!"

"Hm?" The other blonde turned around to face him. "Oh, Deidara, you played very well I must say. You should be proud for playing that perfectly first off." He smiled, almost throwing the young artist off his train of thought, almost.

"How much of that song did Sasori write, hn? It almost didn't sound like him at parts."

"Well…" the baritone man rubbed the back of his head. "He definitely needed some help with the lyrics but sometimes he got a nice idea to put in there originally, but he said things mostly literal and I had to turn them more poetic. But as for the actual music, I didn't even _touch_ the piano. He said he learned it as a secondary instrument, but if he learned that as a second one, I'd honestly love to hear his first picked instrument."

"But the lyrics, did he-?" Deidara stopped when he saw the other give his soft smile.

"I think the answer your looking for is yes, he did write the very gist and plot, as you could say, for the song."

He didn't need any more than that. He ran up the stairs, the last thing him hearing being Miku's voice.

"Kikaito! What's the name of this song?"

"Oh, its called Marionette."

"Really? That's so pretty! I like that name."

And then he up the stairs and out of sight. Looking around desperately, he was brimming with something that made him want to burst. Where had the redhead gone? He ran downstairs to their room and didn't find him there. Back up stairs and into the kitchen, he was about to scream. Where did he go? Wait… where did anyone go when they wanted to be alone? Deidara ran up the stairs to the next level and looked down the hall. The last door on the right was shut… He ran and made the door swing open wide, the slam only being heard against the wall until the second after he got up the small climb of steps, finding the redhead looking out from the small balcony.

The puppeteer turned his head back half way to see him panting and bracing himself against his knees, the blonde was about to lose all sense, so he broke a question.

"Sasori…" he huffed. "Was that song a message to me?"

A moment of silence, Deidara almost couldn't take it. The redhead blinked.

"What do you think, brat?"

He snapped right at that. Quicker than even his own mind understood, he was across the platform and on the balcony. And in the next second, he pressed his lips against the others, finally combusting with the feeling inside of him.

This feeling. He knew it. He finally _understood_ it. It was overwhelming, mind maddening, passion burning; a soul stealing wonder. It was intoxicating, suffocating love. And no words ever written could even describe it.

Sasori broke for the second time in his life. His arms pulled Deidara closer and let his hands lightly grope the blonde's ass as he leaned in and massaged the other's lips. If heaven was a place where he could still go, he'd rather hold on to the brat as he fell down to hell.

Enveloped in his own mind, Deidara's feelings suddenly flared as he noticed Sasori was kissing back with fire that made his lips move to the others speed. His waist suddenly being brought into a strangling hold against the other's torso, and his rear being cupped, he let his mind go deeper and deeper into the luscious being of the redhead. Then, not in reaction or reflex, but in intention, he locked his arms around the other's neck so not even a pry bar could tear them apart.

But suddenly two things started take over the situation. Sasori wanted more of the blonde, and Deidara wanted to be absorbed by the redhead. So the elder started to lean and move forward while the other moved back, eventually making the two of walk backwards, making the younger's back slammed into the wall. But he didn't care, the pain was irrelevant to the moment, though he did by now desperately need air to the point his knees were going weak. Sasori was trying to keep their kiss going as he slid down the wall and laying onto the ground, his head being the propped up by the boundary.

Both of them panting and both of them with half lidded eyes, Sasori continued to peck his lips as he tried to grasp himself.

"Do not change," the redhead suddenly spoke, only then to place another peck on his lips.

"Un…?" was all he barely got out.

"Never not defy me."

Another small kiss.

"And never change for my sake."

A final kiss.

"But even if you do not do these things, I… will undoubtably love you still."

Feeling as if everything had washed off of him at that second, he was ready to accept the truth. He was in love with Deidara, and he would say it to himself and the world if needed. He was not going to let himself deny it any longer no matter what second thoughts crossed his mind. Because it would be pointless and futile all the same.

"But…" Deidara's voice catching his heart like a knife he became crestfallen. His arms falling to his side slowly, he stared with wide eyes. "But… I'm nothing but a suicidal teenager that causes problems for you. Why would you love me, un?"

Sasori's grip tightened around the younger's waist. "Deidara, I don't know how that idea got into your head, but you better get it the hell out now."

The blue eyes widen more, a bliss more overwhelmingly wonderful filling him with a sudden pound from the inside his chest.

"You… really love me…. Danna, un?" As his body was shaking just ever so lightly, and his voice was threatening to crack, he saw the redhead smirk.

"I've done a lot of wrong things in my lifetime Deidara, and I'm not about to do another and lie about the 'situation'. as you put it."

Arms, strong and tan, lashed out to pull him down against the younger. Smiling after the shock from the tight limbs around his neck and shoulders snapped away, he tightened his grip of the other, steadying the small tremble from Deidara with just kiss to the blonde's forehead.

"I love you too… Danna, un…" his voice was soft, but it was calm. Things were…

"Hmph, good."

Yeah… that was the word Deidara wanted. Things were good…

A soft smile now on both faces, they turned on their sides in each other's arms. And for the rest of the night, they watched the grey clouds roll across the moon.


	18. Seconds and Moments

DISCLAMINER: Sorry I've been slow on updates, but as you know, I own nothing.

**A/N: Ah, this is nice. Me eatin' some ginger snap cookies (my favorite) and sipping hot tea with honey. I recently go back from a week or so long vacation. It was so nice. And after all the stuff I've been doing lately, it was good to take a break. So I'm sorry for being slow, and I personally don't think this chap is the greatest really. Just mostly a little fluff (sorry, I couldn't resist… :]) and some info for the future. And i will say this now. The next chapters are going to work like this. The next one will be kinda info-ish again but you'll get to see more actual Naruto characters. Then the next one may be smut, i'm not sure. It all kinda depends on how i work it out and stuff. But if you guys think its to soon (or dont want it at all which will not work cause this is a rated M story and if you dont like it, then why the hell are you reading it if you know its coming?) I can just do a filler. Then the one after that will be sweet in the begining and start all innocent, but then at the end shit will happen and all the action will come back! XD … That sound good? Let me know, please?**

**Now!**

**From your proud band nerd author that has won two grand champion titles at two contests!-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 20 SATURDAY 6:27 A.M.

Deidara opened his eyes to small slits. His back felt stiff but it was also nicely warm. Looking up lazily with a small smile, his gaze met the sight of Sasori, the memory of last night came back fondly. He was in love, and it felt nice. But what was better was that he was loved back. It must have been years since he felt any sense of being wanted. And what almost made him want to laugh was the fact the situation overall would seemed to have of gotten worse in most people's eyes, but it had gotten infinitely better for him. Maybe it was just his luck to get everything opposite of what most people wanted, but he was just that way.

Because in Sasori's arms, nothing seemed wrong.

"Brat, are you awake?" The redhead's voice asked from above, unintentionally lulling him.

"Un…"

Sasori felt the blonde scoot closer into him. The action was different to him, and the scorpion knew he would of killed anyone else for doing such an action, but when Deidara did it… he almost gained a small smile.

A rumble in the small moment of quiet; Deidara's cheeks turned pink.

"Tch, hungry are we brat?" Sasori smirked as the blonde tried to hide his embarrassed face with his hair.

"Hn…"

"Come on, lets get you something to eat." The redhead moved to sit up, but the younger held on.

"I think I'd rather stay here, un…"

"Hmph…" Sasori gave a sincere smile and stroked the soft gold locks with his finger tips, never even thinking how strange this actoin even was to him. "I think I rather stay here too, but i have a feeling you being hungry would only cause you to be more annoying."

"…"

"Come on, get up Dei. I hate waiting." But Deidara was sitting already up with his name, feeling rather light in a sense. Sasori stood and offered his hand to get him up, taking it gladly. His back was still stiff and cracked as if he was seventy years of age as he got back up on his feet. They both then headed down the stairs and into the hall; to where they met the curious eyes of Gakupo who seemed to be coming out of his room which was right across from them.

The purple haired man let his eyes widen a little with shock, but then softened to a delicate smile. Him tossing his long violet hair to the side as he walk down the hall and to the stairs out of sight, he left the youngest artist confused. But as he looked down, he noticed he was still holding Sasori's hand…

"Oh," he pulled his hand away in shame and lowered his head, suddenly feeling smaller and childish. "Sorry Danna, un…"

Sasori looked at the blonde with his blank impenetrable gaze, finding himself almost to the point of anger that the brat pulled away, but then it was gone. Something different replacing it entirely.

_A lick to a small ash rose, something forgotten reborn, a long ago fire once smolder grew again_.

Sasori took his right hand and grasped Deidara's chin, making their lock eyes.

_After a long winter of the heart's frozen pain, the petals were no longer wilted._

He watched the blue ice eyes melt as he placed his lips against the others. His mind suddenly re-experiencing the sinful event yet again like an addicting drug that pulsed and burned even his coldest of veins.

_Its thorn printed stem crushed an old stone with its new power. _

'Emotions are complex,' the redhead thought in the back on his brain, but that really wasn't his main focus. His true concentration was lost as new things started to take over his mind. But they were… okay things.

_Setting a single soul free. _

He moved back slowly, watching Deidara come out of his own moment and waited. Things then seemed to flash through the blonde's mind as his eye's grew and his hand lightly shadowed his mouth. But then it all seemed to click fully, as his tan hand lowered and the pale eyes went to a low level of surprise, the blue aura coming to back life in the very depths of the long dulled orbs as he looked at the redhead.

Sasori looked back calmly, his inner conscious now seeing a reflection of a younger self from long ago. He was becoming strange, he knew. But he just told himself he'd have to get used to it, and by that he meant used to the changes of his heart mostly. Including new feelings. Now, emotions weren't exactly new to him, they were almost nostalgic in a sense. So perhaps they just took some getting used to…?

"Danna?" A glow most brilliant came from the blue as they stared at the cold brown, a litt e shocked blush even covering his cheeks.

The puppeteer raised his own hand to grasp the younger's, intertwining their fingers and pulling the two of them through the hall and down to the ground level. The blonde being stunned, he could only smile. As he was led down stairs by the other, he figured they would just have to get used to each other in this way. Which was no problem at all.

The morning was misty and cool, spring's last fight till summer's reign would begin. It was an omen to some, the fighting rain, but most over looked it as just a sense of scenery in the day's twenty-four hour back round. Most never thought about the homeless that ducked for cover under the storm's icy sting, or the fires of misery it put out, or the feeling of gloom it cast on empty shadows. No, not a soul thought this way.

But in the Kyoko's home, very few were up and about. There was the blonde twins Rin and Len wrapped up in a blanket and in each other's arms as they watched a quiet black and white movie while laying on the couch. They looked happy there though, simple and warm in each other's presences's. Their movie was turned down low so they could just barely hear it, but they seemed just fine that way because every now and then they would whisper gentle words to each other.

They created an energy like peace around the area they inhabited.

Another soul that was up, was Meiko. She stood at a window that looked out into the grey wet streets. A frown along with concerned eyes made up her expression, as if she knew something. As if she was waiting for something that would make or break the seams of the world itself.

She seemed to make space itself tense.

Lastly, Gakupo sat at the dining room table. His quiet and solemn being foreboding at points, he seemed to be wishing for death.

He let time slow, making things more dark than necessary.

The two artists took two different views of the room. Sasori saw it as dangerous. He could tell something was wrong, and that something worse was going to happen. The freezing temperature. Meiko's expression. The impression that the twins had stayed up all night. Gakupo's eyes on the clock and the earliness of his waking. The dark lighting of the room itself. It all seemed very untrusting.

Deidara on the other hand, felt the room as very nostalgic. The sense of peace in his life before hand. The gloom the radiated off his very essence each and every day. And the tension of how long until he snapped under it all. Oh, yes. It was quite something to experience all again, only he was the one viewing. He was actually happy for once in his life. And he hoped it would stay that way.

The two artists went into the kitchen, Sasori brewing a new pot of coffee and Deidara making himself two pieces of peanut butter toast. They then sat down at the foot of one of the recliners, the blonde wrapping a blanket around the both of them.

For a while, things were simply nice. Deidara ate his toast and then the two of them stayed close together sipping their bitter hot liquids in the quiet. But Sasori didn't let his guard down, the entire time he watched the never moving Meiko out of the corner of his eye. He knew she would be the first to react to whatever was to happen, and so he watched.

Finally, she moved, her eyes landing on Deidara solely, the puppeteer glared.

"Deidara," she moved over to them, the brunette woman not even noticing the elder artist's physical warnings. "Your going to be having a few visitors soon. I would be prepared… And go ahead and go down stairs to the piano room and stand behind Kikaito… I believe he's already down there."

"Un…?"

"Just do as she says Dei." Sasori stood up and narrowed his eyes at the woman, but then headed down stairs with the blonde following. Meiko was right, the dim lit concrete room was colder and even more worrying, but Kikaito was at the piano and seemingly reading over music. But there also seemed to be something different about his attitude. He looked overly composed and ready for what ever was needed. Which was not how the puppeteer knew the other man to be.

They stood behind the baritone blonde, Deidara leaning against the wall looking down with anticipation. But Sasori was standing straight and a little in front of the stool that went to the grand instrument. His arms crossed and his eyes tight, he watched the door.

"Hello?" A voice known and friendly reached their ears, Cherry walking down the stairs with a smile, a light skip in her movements.

"Cherry, you're my visitor, un?" Deidara blinked, both surprise and relieved that it was nothing serious.

"Well I guess you could say tha-"

"Cut the shitty fake smile and tell us who's really here to see him." The redhead pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. The last thing he needed was Cherry sugarcoating the lies that were about to be placed in the blonde's mind.

The girl's smile dropped. "You really are no fun Sasori."

"I prefer things to be straight forward and done quickly, that is all."

The two redheads shared a tight aired moment, meaning most people would of flinched or moved out of the room due to the silence. But Deidara didn't even blink. He was used to the puppeteer's behavior by now, and he already knew Cherry wasn't everything she seemed to be. So this was nothing new to him… but then why did he feel nervous?

"Cherry." The male redhead threatened the female, making her will finally loosening a decent amount.

"Come on down girls." These were the words she left lay cold; two females coming down the steps to stand by her.

The sight of the two newly entered woman made the blonde go numb. For the two women that now stood next to Cherry was Brie, and his mother.

"Deidara!" Both the woman said and gave their own expressions.

Brie was smiling and clapping her hands like an idiot and his mother had both her perfectly painted nails covering her mouth and looked to be on the verge of tears. Which… was predictable he guessed. After coming back from her vacation, Deidara could almost imagine all the shit she heard about him and the 'mysterious man'.

"Deidara, Deidara!" Both the women screamed and started to run toward him.

Being shocked as he was, the only thing the blonde could do was let his eyes grow and move back against the wall, but Sasori was prepared. He moved back and put him between the two on coming girls. But the scorpion wasn't the only one ready. Kikaito struck a horrible cord on the piano and let a terrible note roar through his throat, stopping everything dead.

Sasori now understood why they had to stand behind the instrument. Though they could hear the echo of the horrific noise, it was not directed toward them since they were behind it. And if any crossed the painted line, it seemed he would strike another note. But if you were behind the piano, you were fine.

"Clever," the redhead said out loud, Kikaito nodding in reply with a small smile.

Brie and Deidara's mother finally got smart and backed up behind the line, both of them covering their ears with pained faces. Once they recovered, Cherry informed them of how the situation would work.

"Only one of you can go over there at a time and you can not touch any of the guys over there," she nodded to the two blonde's and one glaring redhead by the piano. "If either of you touch anyone of them in the _slightest manner_, I'll throw one of these," she held up a hair thin needle. It would be invisible to the eye if it weren't for the small gleam it gave off from the small amount of lighting the room received. "And trust me. I don't miss." She smirked; something truly evil on her beautiful face.

The two women nodded and then started whispering to each other, seemingly deciding who would go first.

For the first time, Sasori got a good look at both girls. Deidara's mother looked very refined. She had a decent head of pale blonde hair and dulled blue eyes with bags of age. She had on a light red dress that went down to her knees with buttons along down the middle of it. Along with this dress, she also had on a pearl necklace and earrings to match. She seemed to be a respectable woman. Now Brie on the other hand, was a stick like girl that had her dark hair put up in a messy bun. She had ugly dull grey eyes and was wearing a sleeveless green top that even cut low to show her pierced bellybutton. Topping it all off was her jean booty shorts that basically let her ass hang out.

"Whore." The redhead muttered under his breath, a chuckling sounding coming from Deidara's dry throat as a response.

"Un." He was waiting. The young artist knew exactly how both would react and he knew exactly what he was going to say to both of them. Oh yes, he knew exactly, right down to the very last 'un'.

"Alright," Cherry drew the two artist's attention. "Deidara, your mother will becoming over there first."

The blonde nodded and walked half way across the floor toward the painted line, his mother coming the rest of the amount. They stood facing each other for a certain time, he figured this, so he made the first move.

"Mom, un…"

"Deidara…"

He counted to ten in his, and in that amount of time, she burst into tears and completely fell apart. She even almost death hugged, if not for her quick thinking of the threatening woman with a needle in hand behind her. His mother sobbed for a while and in the process tried mumbling unclear words. So, after she gathered herself, she straightened up and started to come on with her motherly approach. Just as Deidara expected.

"When I came back from my vacation, I expected to come home and find my newly graduated son preparing for college or off partying somewhere at least. I did not expect to find my ex-husband's house destroyed and my son being stolen by some man…" her eyes drifted to Sasori who smirked and started to stride over to them. Upon seeing this, she started to whisper. "Deidara… is that-?"

"The 'mysterious man', un?" The blonde now gained his own smirk, feeling Sasori beside him gave him a certain confidence that things would go just as he thought.

"Hello ma'am," the elder held out his hand. "My name is-"

"I don't care what your name is!" Deidara's mother interrupted in a shout as her cheeks flared. "If I was aloud physical contact I would slap you so hard your children would have scars! Not only that, but I would drag my son out of here and have everyone in this building arrested!" she huffed for a few seconds to then straighten up, her composer regained. "But since I can not do such things…" she took another few moments to find her correct wording. A slight pause in her breathe, it gave the two artist's a second to think quickly.

And in these few seconds, Sasori had decided he did not like this woman. Wether or not she was Deidara's mother, he had a perfectly good reason not to like her.

Deidara also had increasingly grown to dislike his mother even more in the single second. Not only was her yelling unnecessary, but he also didn't like her for a threat she made.

Both artist's had grown dislike towards this woman for the same reason as it happens… And that was because she threatened to take the blonde away. So now in truth… Neither wanted to be away from the other. And so of _course _Sasori felt the urge to piss her off and take her off her rocker even more.

"Hmph, madam. You could never make my children suffer." The puppeteer batted his eyes with a dominating look, a challenge hanging in the air.

"Oh? And do you think I could not make you and your children suffer?" Deidara's mother raised one perfect eyebrow, the redhead now chuckling for the woman had taken the bate.

"No, not at all. You seem horrid enough to scar generations of children to come. But I don't think I will be having a child in my lifetime."

"Me? Horrid! You make me laugh, this is certainly not my worst I'll have you know. But not a single child? Are you that nightmarish to even hate new blood?"

"Not exactly. I never really wasn't much for kids. But unless Deidara is hiding his true gender, I don't think I'll be having any children as long as I'm alive." He chuckled again in satisfaction. All the same watching the two blonde's before him blush. Deidara's mother became red in anger, but the brat himself was colored mostly in embarrassment, and with a gentle smile under his hair at that. Both reactions being to his liking, he let his smirk lighten to a grin as he watched the enraged woman flare.

"_What have you done to my Deidara?"_

Both artist's became crestfallen then, the memory of younger's virginity was not something either wanted to be reminded of.

"If you are referring to-"

"Mom," the bomber interrupted the sculptor, his next sentence surprising the both of them. "He hasn't done anything to me that I didn't want, un."

The young blonde feeling both of their stunned natures, he let his smirk grow. He did always want to piss off his mother. And since he was always being the perfect son, it must have been quite a wakeup call for her.

"Deidara… You…?" She looked so stunned that he could just feel his triumphant grin growing by the second. "Deidara, we're leaving." She went to grab him, but before she could even think, there were five needles deep in her shoulder blade, courtesy of Cherry who was giving off a devilish smile. "You bitch!" Deidara's mother wailed in pain as her arms flinging this way and that with her sharp nails threatening to scratch anyone in range. That anyone mostly being Deidara.

Instinct and reflexes in one, Sasori put his arms around the other's waist and pulled Deidara back. "I don't need to protect you from your own mother, do I brat?" The redhead chuckled lightly, the blonde becoming unamused.

"If that is ever true, then we have a problem. Get her out of here Cherry, please, un."

The redheaded girl nodded at his plea and took the woman away by her good shoulder, Brie stepping up in front of him next, there being, fake, tears in her eyes.

"I…"

"Why are you here Brie, hn?"

"I…" she seemed to be at a lost for words, so she looked down.

"Spit it out, un."

"I-I-"

"That's it-"

"I want to help!"

Deidara blinked. "Say that again?"

"I… I want to help."

"And you would do that how, hn?"

She regained herself, her focus seeming to shift back and forth between the two artists for a split second. But then she found herself, a deep breath calming her. "After I saw you that day in town, I was happy you were alive. But when I called your name, I was afraid that man," she looked over to Sasori but then quickly brought her eyes back. "I thought he was taking you somewhere to hidden again. So I called my father and traced you back to a set of apartments, basically to only hit a dead end. But I searched through my fathers computer, finding the city files and tried to find his face again. Which ended me going back to the apartments to find that woman over there. I told her I could and was willing to help you."

"You have yet to tell us how you plan to help," the puppeteer narrowed his eyes, Brie squirming under the rough gaze.

"Tell me who's after you, and my father can have them arrested in an hour," she held a stern face, telling Deidara she was serious. Which kind of surprised him. Mostly because she was never serious.

"You could do that, un?"

"I would do that!" She smiled. "It would be simple wouldn't it? The entire city would be against them and there's no way they would be able to win," her smile grew, her rant seeming to grow.

Deidara suddenly having hope, he turned to Sasori.

"Danna! If she could-"

"No."

"Un…?" The blue eyes widened, the blonde suddenly confused. Did Sasori really want him to not get all their problems solved?

"Just listen to her a little longer," the redhead's lips brushed past his ears, the hushed whisper and hot breath making him shiver with hormonal daydreams. He then focused back to Brie with a little bit of force.

"-then your family will be so happy to see you again you'll never have time to be depressed. All of us will go off to the college so you can see all your brothers old friends again and life will be good! Everything will go back to the way it was!"

Deidara froze stiff, his heart in a dead lock. Every thing would go back to the way it was…?

"Leave."

"Huh?" Brie looked stunned, her rambling suddenly over by the pronunciation of one word, she seemed confused.

"I have never, nor will I ever, need your help, un."

"But…"

"Leave. Now."

The girl suddenly flustered, she left without a word, leaving only Cherry and the two artists. A quiet pat of the door shutting, the younger shot a glare across the room to the last woman left standing. Her expression being blank still, he felt a pound of annoyance in his veins near his temple.

"Before you flip on me," Cherry said. "There's still one more."

The door at the top of the steps suddenly opened with a force bearing kick. A blonde bouncing ponytail and the sound of heavy brown boots suddenly made both artists put their guard up. Her shirt ripped and her booty shorts cut directly below her ass, the girl they both knew as Bambi stood before them.

"Yo," she gave them a two finger salute. "What's crackin' stiffs?"

Before Deidara could blink, Sasori had pulled a gun out of nowhere and was pointing it dead at her brain.

Bambi snickered.

"Chill, chill! All is good puppet man. I come in peace." She raised her arms as if giving in, but the redhead clicked the safety off with a glare placed firmly on his face.

"She's not here to kill anyone Sasori," Cherry reassured. "She just wants to tell you guys something. Now put the gun away. You know very well I would never bring anyone here if they were a danger."

The two redhead's held each other's gaze, static and friction hitting the dense air, the male of the two finally put the gun down. The two females smiling in their victory.

"Ah men, still stubborn and still think they rule the world," Bambi teased.

"Why are you here?" Sasori hissed.

"I came to give you the news."

"News?" The artists questioned together.

"Yes, the news," she leaned against the far wall, her brow lowing in thought. "Where to start… Ah! Just to let you know, none of the people you met are the real gang leaders, including me. We're only the most 'trusted messengers' I guess you can say."

"You mean to say the real leader's are all cowards to show their real faces, un?"

"Ha, not really. I actually think Gly is the real big boss of his group, though all I know is he as his niece working as his under. But my boss…" she shivered. "Never piss that woman off, it very well could be the death of you."

"Is this the news you wanted to tell us?" Sasori pinched the bridge of his nose. He had already guessed most of this, and this obnoxious woman was trying his patience that was already thin to begin with.

"Oh yeah," Bambi kicked her legs up in the air to stretch, a smile breaking her tanned skin. "I wanted to tell you that all of us are behind you guys on this one."

"Excuse me?"

"We'll back you up," she told. "None of us trust that Uragirimono guy. And lord knows every bitch to crawl out of a hole hates Itazura, but we've been planning to take care of her ourselves. But no, all of us will help you take him down along with her, and with all five gangs and a little more round up recruits, we'll take'em all down!" She suddenly laughed with a flail of her arms, a sadistic sound.

"Why would you help us? And why so many people to only take down a duo of enemies?" The redhead questioned, his guard still never lowing as he watched the blonde woman frown.

"We sent twenty people from each gang to try and get rid of him. All of them were killed immediately except for a few who were able to report back before they passed… That man is an army in himself. We need professionals, weapons, strategies and above all, corporation from everyone."

"That is to be expected, but-"

"Let me finish."

Sasori ground his teeth while his mild anger rocked his mind. Was this woman trying to make him mad?

"There is a catch to all of this… We all understand this is your battle on a personal level. We all fight for money and such, you two fight for a different, deeper reason. So we all agreed we wont lay a finger on either of them unless you give us permission. But, we will protect what ever is ours. Know that also."

There was a pause in Bambi's given info. Giving both artists time to think through what was laded before them.

Sasori actually found this situation quite suited him. If he was ever to fight, he would never want anyone to follow him, or get in his way. So this was convenient in many ways. And if he ever did need assistance (which was very unlikely to begin with), he would ask for the services of anyone that lived in the apartments, or even Kisame and Kakuzu. He could trust those people, and he knew they had skills that were valuable to have on your side. Yes, this was a very good thing indeed.

Though the redhead thought well of the new situation, Deidara was a little puzzled. Why would they all follow their lead? Why would killers do as they said; even what he said? He was only a depressed nineteen year old who's had problems with his step mother and school. What was special about himself that actually thought him worth following?

"Well," Bambi stood up and headed for the metal stair, breaking their trains of thought in the process. "I best be saying ciao! I got paper work and all 'dat jazz back home. Now don't be going and being some jackasses just cause we're leaving you all alone. If something ain't right we're gonna fix it no matter what," she was right at the door at the top of the stairs. "And try having some fun by the way. You don't have to stay down here and rot like rats you know. Guess that's it then… See you!" And she left just like that, a slam of the door and she was gone.

Leaving both artists staring at Cherry.

"What?" She asked still blank.

"You owe us an explanation, un."

"Like what?"

"Like why you brought my mother and that bitch here, un!"

"You think Bambi is a bitch?"

"No, Brie!"

"Really? She seemed nice…"

"Hn? She's about as nice as a banshee, un."

"Well she was nice to me."

"Cherry," Sasori broke in. "You do owe us an explanation, just like Deidara said. Now why did you bring those three here?"

The redheaded girl let out a tired pant as she gave a small hand gesture. A dim smile finally lighting some of her worn features.

"They all found me in the same night. First Bambi, who I knew I could trust since I had run ins with her in the past. Then your mother found me, Deidara. And how was I to deny an aching mother's heart for her only son?" she smirked, the bitter sentence hanging in his mind for a second before she finished up. "And then Brie found me, her desperation was just so heart wrenching, I had to let her come."

"That is a very weak argument, Cherry," the elder's eyes narrowed.

"Meh," she shrugged. "Never said it was a fair one. But I best be off to, bringing Meme here so early really drags down her mind." Cherry started for the steps herself, also looking down from the top right before the door, only this time the female held a gentle smile. "But you should take Bambi's advice you know. Have some fun, relax, get some R and R while you can. Its not to good for to be stressed all the time."

A soft pat of the door with that last adieu and she was gone from sight just like all the other's.

"Annoying women…" the puppeteer mumbled under his breath, now for the first time noticing that Deidara was no longer beside him.

Kikaito seeming to be missing from the room, when he turned around, the redhead saw the other sitting at the piano, his eyes looking down at the keys zoned out.

Sasori moved over and sat beside the blonde, waiting to see if he react. And when no sign of consciousness came, he pressed a single key down, waking the other from their eye open sleep.

Letting the note vibrate in the air, Deidara then played one with four more following it. The other than playing his own ten notes to continue the pattern-less tune.

Sharing equal light smiles, they started to play the grand instrument with master fingers passing over each key with care. The two melodies sharing one song, it was a new creation.

And as they both played the song, neither pointed out, but did notice, their hands passing over one another's to hold for just a second. Just a second, to then continue their tune.


	19. Breaking the Spirit

**DISCLAMINER: I own nothing.**

**A/N: I don't know what to say… so much has happened since I last updated and usually I would rant or something about how my life has been going (not that any of you care), but I still like to vent. But, there's just no place to begin or end it seems. Its just… I don't know, my life hasn't been right lately. But you know, writing this and my own personal free writes, it makes me feel better I guess. :] **

**Still… me with nothing to complain to you guys about…**

**Strange, right…?... Meh… Though, (spoiler alert, if you just watch the anime, skip this part in my rant!) Aren't you guys happy to be seeing some, umm… *cough* certain someone's in the manga once again? Because I know that every time I see them *cough* I can't help but smile! Especially when they talk to each other, that really makes me grin, hehe~. Now if only I had a tail and cat ears so I could grin like an imp… then my life would be complete… damn I'm weird, sorry, lolz. **

**And, oh yeah! This ****CHAPTER**** is in ****TWO PARTS****. I know you guys wanted smut, and you will get it. I typed this chapter as a whole but then it was over ten thousand words and that was just to much. So its in TWO PARTS and you will get the next part, next week. But in this chap you get a little bit of fluff and action and in the next you get a moody Deidara and smut. SO BE PATIENT.**

**From, the Girl Lost in Her Thoughts**

**Teiden~ **

DAY 25 - THURSDAY - 7:22 A.M

As Sasori cracked open his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of Deidara sleeping soundly beside him. His breathing was even and his face, tranquil. With both blue eyes closed in slumber, the redhead decided not to wake the other. He merely brought up his hand to stroke the soft locks and focus his stare to study the angelic face.

He really had been trying to bring himself back. His old self that is. The puppeteer had become worried that his current self wouldn't be enough for Deidara. The idea being he was just now awakening from a long emotionless sleep. And now slowly but surely, he was starting to understand the things called feelings once again. What was even more shocking though, was that he was willing to have them again. The reason he changed in the first place after all was so he would have nothing to do with them. But now… as he stared at the blonde… he felt strange in the most magnificent unimaginable sense.

And he liked it that way.

An hour or so passed as he lay there, playing with the brat's hair lightly with his finger tips. But it did eventually end. The blonde's eyes lifted up to stare back at him with the expected morning grogginess. A smile quickly taking his features.

"Morning Danna, un."

"Morning Brat."

Deidara grimaced in annoyance.

"Do you have to be such an asshole first thing in the morning, un?"

"You should expect nothing less," the puppeteer sat up, Deidara mimicking a few seconds later only with a stretch of his arms.

"Hn… Coffee, un?"

"Coffee."

The two artists moved upstairs in their night clothes. Deidara in a tank top and boxer shorts. Sasori being more conservative though, wore pajama pants and a long sleeved T-shirt. They had gone shopping a few days ago for the both of them, Sasori having enough money to buy the two artists entire new wardrobes it seemed. But still, the puppeteer got lengthy night shirts and pants that covered his limbs completely, so the blonde had to wonder… how did the other never burn up wearing all the thick fabrics with the covers on top of him…?

The house already starting to wake up, the artists found Meiko in the dinning room with a moat of papers around her and a large mug of cold bitter liquids. Along with a few sounds from upstairs, the artists found the red haired brother of Kaito, Akaito, in the kitchen also. He was leaning over the sink next to the coffee pot and looking out the small window.

Sasori moved to start a new brewing session, and Deidara went to the fridge to find something to eat.

It was then things started turned picturesque disaster.

No one had notice it at first, but Taito, the purpled haired brother of Kaito, leaned against the door frame of the kitchen. Heavily panting, he had a dark steel ice pick in his hands.

Deidara turned around, his heart not sure if it should stop or race.

The blonde watched in immoderate fear as the violet haired man exploded with raw rage and charged into the room.

Heading straight for the two redhead's.

Akaito, almost knowing he was going to be attacked, moved out of his zoned position by the window and against the other counter across the kitchen, leaving Sasori right in wild man's way.

Deidara was frozen, so he did not blink, but nor did his brain register the action fully. He later guessed that the scene was rejected by his mind on purpose, only to save him from a painful memory. But the last thing he saw of the attack was Taito with the ice pick raised above Sasori's head, ready to strike.

The next few seconds were deleted in his mind, but the next thing he was able to click in was Sasori on his knees with the pick lodged into his left side.

The blonde moved, and he moved fast. He hooked his arm around Sasori with a firm hold, and with the other hand, now a fist, decked Taito right off his feet. He then rushed passed Meiko who was still stunned and down stairs to their room. Locking the door, Deidara went into panic.

"Danna! Holy shit, un! It'll be alright, there has to be a first aid kit somewhere, un!" the sculptor rushed around the room in a blur, his mind not seeming to be able to keep up with the situation or himself.

"Deidara…" Sasori said sitting from the bed.

"Its alright Danna! There might be a kit in the closet, just hang on, un!"

"Deidara," the redhead said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Save your energy, un! Everything will be alright! EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT, UN!"

"BRAT!"

The younger stopped moving and turned to face the puppeteer who was glaring at him.

"Would you please stop your useless rambling and pull this thing out of me."

Not sure what to do anymore, Deidara moved slowly over to the other, his eyes wide with anticipation. With shaky hands, he grabbed the other half of the pick, and pulled.

It did not want to come out.

Deidara pulled and pulled, but it would not come loose. He soon became afraid it lodged itself into an organ and that he was making it worse. Sasori's yelling not helping in the least, the redhead finally shouted at the top of his lungs…

"Just yank it out brat!"

And that's just what he did. With the shock of the morning and the confusion of the moment, he took it out with one jerk, the blonde falling to the ground with the pick in his hand. A quick recovery and Deidara grimaced at the tool in his hand and let it go so he could stand and go over to the elder who was still on the bed.

"Sasori no Danna! Are you okay, un? I'll get some-!"he was just about to run to get more supplies, but he was grabbed around the waist and brought down forcibly between the redhead's legs. Then quicker than he could breathe, one of the puppeteer's arms was around and locking his arms to his sides, while the other was angled so his mouth was covered by one smooth perfect hand.

"Brat…" Deidara watch the other speak with an annoyed expression out of the corner of his eye, even noticing one of the red eyebrows twitch. "Look carefully. Do you, at all, see any blood on me?"

The blonde's eyes slowly made their way to Sasori's side. And they found that though there was a rip down the lining, there was no blood marked on the simple white shirt.

"Now, do you see any blood on the pick?"

His eyes wandered again to the ice pick, not seeing even a single drop of blood.

Deidara's eyes were now wide with an all new shock, but not one that was nearly as panic inducing as the last.

Sasori removed his arm that held down his limbs and the hand that covered his mouth slowly. The blonde then turned around halfway to stare at the bored brown eyes.

"Danna…?"

The redhead sighed. There really was no point and hiding it really, he knew Deidara was going to find out eventually…

"Unbutton my shirt."

"Wha…?"

"Just do it brat."

The blonde gave an unamused look. "I don't know. Every time you tell me to take off my clothes, I always find things I rather had not known about, un. And now your telling me to take off your clothes…"

"Deidara, just, do it."

The sudden look on Sasori's face made the younger pale. So gulping with a nod, Deidara did as his Danna told. And after the first three buttons, his mouth gapped.

As the blonde slowly started to undue his shirt, Sasori watched as Deidara shifted around completely so he was basically straddling his lap. But he didn't notice. He was watching the other's expression carefully, almost wishing he hadn't been stabbed.

When Deidara undid the very last button, he was in awe. His finger's started sketching out Sasori's chest, which did not look human in the least. Then, falling into himself further, he slid the fabric of the other's shoulders and down to redhead's hands.

Sasori's entire torso being in full view, his finger tips started to trace the strange figure. Beginning at the shoulder blades, he began to move down to follow the line of his upper chest that was raised and bulkier than the lower, but only because it seemed to hold a small capsule in it that read 'Scorpion'.

"This is…" Deidara let air take place for the rest of his sentence, not sure how to finish it.

"I'm a puppet, Deidara." His voice, so lacking of care or gentleness, was not the way he wanted it to sound.

A few seconds passed, the sculptor running his fingers over the elder's very realistic skin with light whisps, as if he was a piece of clay being molded by skilled hands…

The moment was broken, the silence gone with the younger's voice.

"Sasori… how much of you body is like this, hn?" the blonde breathed out.

"My estimate is sixty-five to seventy-five percent," Sasori said watching the other diligently.

A slight nod being his only response, the redhead took in a sudden breath in as the other's hand ran over his heart capsule.

Seeing this, Deidara withdrew his hand.

"Sorry, did I hurt you, un?"

"No…" he calmed himself. "That is just… a very sensitive part of my body…"

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "It didn't hurt?"

"No, quite the opposite actually," a small twitch of his lips, the elder didn't realize what he had let slip.

"Opposite…"

Deidara paused for a second, but quickly gave his own mischievous grin. Closing his eyes, he leaned in and licked the very rim around the capsule, even following as the other's back gave out and landed on the bed.

"Dei…dara…" Sasori panted. Being taken by surprise, he had forgotten what some things felt like and how to handle them. But his heart capsule, it was like having real skin again only with twice the nerves. And when Deidara ran his hot, damp tongue around it… it truly was pleasure.

"What's wrong Danna?" The brat said bring his mind back. "Upset I found your weak spot, hn?" Deidara smirked now, a gleam of lust running through his already bright eyes.

Without blinking, Sasori pushed up on the blonde's shoulders and flipped them around. Their new position being the younger sprawled out on the bed with Sasori on his hands and knees hovering him.

"So you found one of my weak spots," the redhead spoke husky on purpose, this way the sculptor below him wouldn't notice the hand slowly slipping under his shirt. "But I have no problem finding any of your's."

Sasori captured the blonde's lips, and at the same time, pinched the pink nub hidden to the eye. Deidara's body lurched up and he tried to gasp, but Sasori's brought hot his tongue into his mouth before he could do anything. Not that he'd complain, but he was not going to lose so easily. So the blue eyed boy forced the muscle out his mouth, making the redhead fight his way in, but the battle soon ended when another twist came to his nipple came. Though this time he whimpered, not on purpose; it just slipped. So an apologetic rub came to the sore nub, along with kisses trailing down his neck.

The blonde moaned deep in his throat as the elder sucked on a sensitive part on his neck, a shiver running up his spine.

"Hmph, learn to control your hormones brat." Sasori chuckled, his knee now teasingly rubbing up against Deidara's half hard cock.

"Tch…" the younger partly glared, forcing his body up to start a trail of his own butterfly kisses. And when he got to the capsule, he used his tongue to trace the writing. A sudden gasp coming from the elder.

But Deidara really had no idea what he had done. The capsule in his chest was tectonically the second most sensitive part of his body. It was rigged with forty-five percent more nerves than his usual skin if he remembered correctly. And in this situation, forty-five percent went a long way… Especially when the brat kept flicking his hot tongue around the edges.

"You were saying," Deidara huffed half out of breath. "Danna?"

Sasori growled. "Know your place brat."

The redhead forced his lips down to regain the other's, easily noticing the smirk the blonde had covering his lips.

Both now having their own similar intentions, they both barely registered the three knocks on the door. And in the next second, Meiko was standing in the doorway.

Deidara was the first to notice her, and for a second he wondered how she even got in, but then he remembered Sasori never locked his door. So why would he think to lock the one to their room…?

The blue eyes widen so the puppeteer turned his head to see what the other had seen. His expression becoming bored at the sight of her in their room.

Meiko kept her expression blank, much reminding the blonde of Sasori. But she blinked for a second to then start explaining her reason for disturbing them.

"I came to apologize," she said. "Taito is a yandere you see. He usually is very sweet. But he seemed to have snapped for some reason and became intent on killing Akaito. You just happened to be at the wrong place and wrong time. So once he snapped, he turned into a killing machine and bent on taking out his own brother but… usually he would of stopped once he saw Akaito move, but since you're both redhead's, he just kept going. Though, I think he came back after he saw stabbed you," the brunette explained in detail, making sure nothing was lost in her train of thought. "I don't think he even really grasped what he had done until Deidara had hit him."

The blonde gaped in realization. He would definitely have to remember and apologize to the violet haired man.

"But it seems," she continued. "That you two are both fine…" she gave a small snicker as Deidara blushed.

Being embaressed, he moved to sit up, but Sasori put his fingertips lightly against his chest, telling him to stay.

"Yes, we are both fine Meiko. Now would leave?"

"No."

"And why is that?" The redhead glowered. He had been trying to keep his irritation hidden, but now she was just being unreasonable.

"I also came down here to tell you something else."

"And that would be…?" now he was stifling a growl.

"You have a visitor."

"Visitor, un?" Deidara cocked his head to the side. He was starting to hate all surprises and visitors at this point. They always seemed to be either inconvenient or depressing.

"Yes. Now get upstairs before they become more unnerving than usual. You can finish your activates later." She left with that, both artists now inwardly sour that their first attempts at sex was taken away.

"Danna, un…?"

Sasori continued to stare at the door, his gaze seemingly to be zoned out.

Deidara sighed. "I guess we better start heading up, un," he started to sit up. His actions once again being futile, for he was pushed back down on the bed.

"I'll go upstairs first," the elder said. "so that way you can take care of your little _problem _while I distract our visitor."

Deidara stared confused as Sasori got up off of him and went for the door. But that was when he looked down and noticed he still had a decent bulge.

"Damn it, un!"

The redhead laughed quietly in his chest as he shut the door him and headed upstairs, already able to hear the yells and squeals.

The sight he came upon was one that seemed to be caused by Bambi, who just so happened to be in the middle of the living room and causing a storm of trouble for the Kyoko. The dinning room chairs had been tossed around the room, and it seemed the members themselves were all yelling at each other with the exception of four people. Meiko was off at the window again, her maturity seeming to be higher than the majority at the moment as the shouts surrounded her. Then there was Gakupo beside her who was just staring at the scene, to tired to fight. The third mutual being in the room seemed to be Len who was holding back his twin sister from clawing out Miku's eyes. Lastly, there was Gumi. The green haired girl was not fighting, but was hanging off Bambi's arm while pouting in a chibi manner while the blonde was yelling and kicking at her, trying to get her off.

Sasori was quickly exasperated with this behavior, and so he walked right up to Bambi who stopped dead still and blinked wide, silencing the entire room.

"Why must you always cause trouble?" He asked.

"Ah…?" It took the blonde a second to regain her head. "They started it!" Bambi pointed all around the room franticly, as if trying to blame each and every single Kyoko member.

"We did not!" Rin snapped and Miku jumped at Bambi, knocking both of them to the floor and Gumi in the mix of it.

They rolled around for a while. Miku whining in their defense as the noticeably stronger Bambi began shouting and gritting her teeth as she slammed the teal haired girl into the floor. Crushing Gumi in the process…

The puppeteer watched the actions before him in distaste. His arms were crossed and there was a scowl covering his features. From a distance, he would seem frightening and homicidal. But to Meiko who had been observing almost every interaction made, she saw him as frustrated. And since she believed that she was at fault for the frustration, (considering the last situation she interrupted) she thought she should step in and explain.

"Bambi came here to take you and Deidara to a meeting," she said to the redhead as she crossed the room. "The only problem is the meeting is of every gang member in the city, not just the leaders."

"And your point is?" Sasori questioned.

"That most of us don't agree with you going. We have no idea if we can trust them and even if all the Kyoko go… We still will be vastly out number and will most likely die if attacked," the burnette finished with a grim look.

"That's a load of crap!" Bambi jumped up with an dizzy Miku still on the ground. "I told all of you all that we're not gonna kill you guys! We want Itazura six under just as much as anyone, and there is no way in hell we would trust that guy. He's just ain't right ya know?"

"I think we should go, un."

"Hn?" Sasori turned around just in time to see Deidara enter the room and throw his arms over his shoulder's; the redhead now supporting both of their weights.

"I said we should go. They don't want to kill us, and it be a disadvantage to them if they did anyway," the blonde explained.

"And how would it be a disadvantage to them?" Meiko's eyes narrowed.

"I have a feeling Itazura will get pissed if I'm gone, un," he said. "And if there's no Sasori, there's no Uragirimono, un."

"And why do you say that, brat?"

"Because he came here for you Danna."

That silenced the room for a few minuets, but Bambi was quick to take the only chance she had.

"Then its settled. You two are comin' with me to meet the gang!"

DAY 26 - FRIDAY - 10:47 P.M.

"So, what do you think?"

"Well… it certainly isn't what I expected it to be like…"

"Just… woah, un…"

The two artists stood in an entrance to the biggest warehouse they had ever seen, well, the second biggest one to Sasori, but it was _huge_. And it was filled to the brim with the top killers from each gang. The mass of all the voices blending into the backround noise created a deafening ring to the point you had to be standing right next to the person you were talking to if you wanted to hear them. Everywhere there was gunshots, metal clicking and clashing, girls chasing after half drunk men, and yelling. Lots and lots of yelling.

"Welcome!" A large breast woman came up to them with her arms wide, three men flanking her. One of them was Gly, the other two unrecognizable to Deidara. But Sasori's eyes grew slightly as he saw one particularly pale man…

"Tsunade-sama!" Bambi ran up to the large breast woman and berried her head in the lush chest as she gave a death hug. "I brought them here just like you told me to!" the smaller woman squealed as Tsunade petted her head.

"Yes, you did, good job Bambi."

"Oi, oi, oi! Why don't you show me some of that love Bambi-chan?" A white haired, and apparently pervy, old man started to pull on her shirt but…

Bambi hissed and pulled out her gun.

"Don't you dare touch me again!" She yelled as she began to make the man dance with her firing bullets. And even though the man seemed very capable of taking care of himself under the fire, he still complained to Bambi that he only touched her shirt.

Sasori stared boredly at the people before him, but his attention was caught when his hand was grabbed. He looked over to Deidara who was gazing across the room almost determinedly, but with a sliver of fear in his eyes. Following the blonde's eyes, the redhead was brought upon the scene of a half nude pink haired girl being pulled across the room. Her mouth was covered and her hands were tied as she was dragged across the floor, tears in her eyes.

The big breast woman followed their stare, in turn answering a question she thought they had.

"Ah, yes. I think her name was Sakura. She was a servant girl. All our girls are trained to please in any way, but also to kill."

"So why are you getting rid of her?" The redhead asked.

Bambi snickered, her gun finally ceasing fire. "Because she was a bitch, that's why."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "She snapped at her employer. And we can't have our business reputation ruined because of one bad seed." She explained.

"I see, un…" Deidara watched as the girl was taken away. Now he didn't really feel bad for her, a bitch was a bitch after all. But a thing that really unnerved him was that could be him. The blonde knew very well that if he was sold, he would of snapped. Which he now knew would of gotten him killed, or maybe even worse… And then there was something else that… no…

No, he really didn't want to think about that.

There was a tug on his hand then, bringing him back from his melancholy mind. He found himself looking at Sasori, an impatient grimace on his face.

"Come on brat, they're waiting for us."

"Hai, Sasori no Danna." Deidara allowed himself to be pulled along the crowded space by the redhead, not really functioning on his own. It had been a while now, and it wasn't the same feeling that he usually got that he had dubbed 'hollowness'. But This was different. It was sinking his heart almost, like an anchor with chains. So what was he to do with this new feeling? He certainly wasn't used to it and he had no clay for an outlet. So, what to do…?

"Brat!" Sasori's sudden voice came down harshly in his ears almost to the point of ringing.

"Un…?"

"Are you going to sit down or not?"

Deidara looked around the room. Everyone was chatting around a table. All the real leaders and the fake ones with Sasori in the mix with one empty chair beside him.

Being mostly zoned out, he sat down, his brain on automatic. His arms hung numbly at his side, as they all soon began to discuss their main topic with introductions.

"Welcome, Sasori-sama and Deidara-san," the big breast woman started. "My name is Tsunade, I am the leader of the Gyakusatsu, and this is my right hand man, Groku," Tsunade gestured back to the large muscle man they had met before. He was seeming just as friendly as ever with his scowl toward Sasori. "I also co-manage the Shukaku, since Jiraiya here is a customer himself."

"Hey now!"

Sasori held in a sigh. Eventually they got around to saying that the man, Jiraiya, led the slut business but Bambi trained them to fight if the girls were ever threatened, because apparently a sold slave has 'rights' too.

Gly was the real leader of his own gang and thought the idea of a replacement was ridiculous, but he did have his niece in training to take over once he died of supposed 'old age'. Her name was Tenten, and she stood loyally behind, eyeing everyone but still seeming innocent.

Lastly, Shin was sitting beside a man Sasori regretfully knew. He hated this man, right down to the last drop of rain in the world. He _loathed _this man. His name was Orochimaru. He had left his business on fowl terms, making his boss, Pein, enraged. But that wasn't all of it, he had also worked with this man many times on certain jobs. And to have his little trust and respect he gave to Orochimaru mistaken and used… Lets just say the redhead was not left on best standings with the pale man.

So here he was, a traitor in his mix, staring at him with amusement.

Sasori decided at that second he would not let this go unnoticed, but that he would take care of this certain thing later. Because this old quarrel was deeper then the moment, and this was definitely not the place and or time to solve such problems.

From there they started to talk about what to do with Uragirimono and his plan to over throw Itazura. It was quite interesting really to the puppeteer, that such rough people could actually think though things and come to a decent decision. Their thoughts being if they kept playing the white haired man, they could throw him off. Now the only question left was, where would himself and Deidara be put in the plot. It then came down to if they could defend themselves when the fights came about.

"But, how do we know you two can protect yourselves?"

"You have no reason to worry about us."

"Oh, but we do. We are partly fighting for you guys and the problems you created. If you die, everything is lost because they got what they wanted. And I know we can't keep you out of the fight, but the question is, can you live through it?"

"The redhead can kill just fine Tsunade-sama. It's the blonde that could be dead weight."

"You will not have to worry about Deidara."

"Why, does he run fast or somethin'?"

"The brat is not stupid, he knows how to use a gun."

"But he's not like the rest of Sasori. Everyone in this building has been trained to kill in a professional way and has had experience. There is no way he could pick up on all of that in the matter of time we have."

"Then I will fight for him."

"Oh come on redhead, you can't seriously believe that you can fight for two and keep Deidara-kun and yourself alive."

"…what I can not believe is that you think I can not do such a thing…"

"Fine, then lets just see how good you are," the young female blonde smirked and went over to the door and slammed it open, silencing the entire room below. "I need twelve fighters! Minimum three hundred kills! And-" before she could finish, shouts and gun fire sounded, a sign of volunteers. But she put her hand. Her high power giving her respect, everyone was quiet again. "But know that it is more than likely you will be killed. The man you are going to face almost murdered me and the other assistants. So shoot your guns if you have the guts you asswipes, and see if you're brave enough!"

There was a heavy silence for a while amongst the killers. But a few seconds later, a hand rose in the air with a gun shot, four more following. Then barley noticeable, there was a clang of swords, three echoes of them. A gun shot. The rattling of chains. Then silence yet again.

"That's eleven… Come on you chicken shits! Grow some balls and man up!" Bambi yelled over the crowd. Seconds passed and she was about to give up and take what she got, but then something was tossed up, catching everyone's eye. And before she could question what it was, it exploded, sending flames and ash over the entire room with a roaring cry.

"That's settled then! Make a ring, and make it big." Bambi grinned and went back into the room where all stared at her… except Deidara, he was still out of it… "Well redhead, you got a bomber, two chains, three sword fighters and six guns. Think ya could take'm?"

Sasori said nothing, but only grabbed Deidara's hand and went out the door to go down the metal steps, heading right for the large ring in the middle of the warehouse.

"Danna, un…?"

"Don't even be stupid and say it brat, you're going to be fine."

"…But Danna…"

"Brat," the redhead's tone threatened.

"I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about you, un."

Sasori did not speak. They were in the center of the ring now, smirks and chuckles now surrounding and underestimating the two artists. But who could blame them? Some of the gangs top killers were about to fight a below average man in height and who also seemed to be unarmed. So why shouldn't they underestimate him?

"Don't brat, I can take care of myself _and_ you since the situation requires it. Just don't do anything stupid."

"But-"

"Just sit down and shut up brat," the redhead growled and the blonde obeyed, not sure what to do.

Sasori eyed each human as they stepped into the made ring of men. They all either glared or laughed at him, so, carefully, the puppeteer took in count each part of his body to make sure his hidden weapons he had brought were still concealed and placed right. The twin cutlasses were secure under his pants leg, and the hand gun he had stored right up his sleeve was fully loaded with another reload up his left cuff. He didn't like coming here in the first place so he may have over prepared, but he was never going to trust any of these people.

Suddenly Deidara's words whispered in his mind, and frown lines formed between his eyebrows.

Trust. Bonds. Love… they were all weaknesses. All he hoped was these things would not become his downfall. For he had become both strange and soft at the same time and he almost wondered if he could rely on himself to make the wise decisions and not let his emotions over whelm him when it came down to it. When it came down to his life.

When it came down to Deidara's.

"Hey shorty! You going to do something?" One of the men he was fighting shouted at him.

Sasori looked down to the blonde, who was sitting right in the middle of the ring in a tight ball with his arms around his legs. The sight making the redhead want to sigh, he could already tell his regular wasn't going to be of any help in this fight.

"Fine, if he wont make a move, I will!" A man, probably brave, cocky and stupid, came running straight for him.

Deidara watched as a man ran at Sasori. Figuring neither were going to hold back, he knew the redhead would win if all they put out was stupid raged violence.

So the blonde watched as the man pulled out his gun and was two yards away and ready to fire, but faster than anyone could catch, the puppeteer bent his knee and then sent his leg straight up in the air, blades flying up past his shoe and right in time for him to catch and slice the man right down either side of his spinal cord.

"Hmm, how anticlimactic," the redhead said as the man's back bone slunk out of his neck and on to the floor, the now blood pooling corpse following it.

Deidara chuckled. "You could be less gruesome, un."

"Tch, the only fun about all this physical work in a kill is to shed blood, nothing else is amusing."

"Hn, you always have someone else do your killing?"

"Something like that…" Sasori mumbled before ducking down to avoid three on coming bullets from three different sides.

It seems they had gotten smarter in their attacks, so the blonde started to watch the others in the circle around them, cautious of who to watch. He already knew the elder had packed an extra gun most likely, so he wasn't worried about those with pistols, and anyone with a sword in their hands was undoubtably going to be chopped into bits. So the only ones he watched were the two twin boys that were conversing with large chains in their hands on one side of the circle, and then there seemed to be a boy. A tired boy with dark messy hair and glasses that framed the large circles under his eyes. The boy was moving around the circle slowly, mumbling to himself at that, and his fingers were twitching and spazzing lightly…

"Wait… un…" Deidara mumbled as a head rolled passed him with a still beating heart in its throat. "Is that…?"

"Brat!"

"Hn…?" the blonde answered while still staring in fascination at an object his eye had caught on the ground.

"Kick that head toward your three o'clock!"

"…Huh? Oh, sure, un…" he grabbed the head and positioned it just right so he could kick it nice and hard in the direction his Danna asked.

Had he known what Sasori really wanted, he may of done something different. But the redhead luckily heard the head rolling towards them at them a quick pace, so he jumped up, the head knocking the two swordsmen he was facing down with its extreme velocity. The two men being knocked down momentarily, he slit their throats, cutting off their windpipes and giving them no chance of life.

Then, when Sasori was about to turn around and see who he was left to face, two large chains swung around him from both his left and right and connected together tightly. Luckily, again, to only constrict his forearms and upper torso. Those parts of his body were mostly wooden so he couldn't really feel the pressure except in a few rare patches.

"What are you going to do?" one of the men holding the chains asked.

"Are you going to beg?" the other one continued.

Sasori watched them with a blank expression, finding little interest it their banter. But the fact that they were twins and chain user actually did set his mind to thinking a little…

"You guys are bad opponents for Danna, un…" Deidara mumbled.

"Watch ya say Blondie?" the twins shouted in unison, in turn making the younger smirk.

"I said you guys were bad opponents for Danna, un."

"And why," the right one started.

"Would that be?" the left one finished, both glares being equal.

"Hn? Well for one, he probably can't even feel those chains around him, let alone the constriction, un. And another thing, your about to be killed."

"How?" They both growled.

"I don't know, un!" he shouted. "He's Danna! He probably has some gun under his tongue or some shit, un!"

As if on queue, between the button's on the puppeteer's shirt, a barb and what seemed to be a never ending cord, flew around the circle of men. The barb was dripping with poison and it was moving so fast, no one could keep their eye on it the entire time. But once it made a single wrap around the ring to the point the redhead could see it right in front of his nose. Sasori whipped it back around the circle to come back under the cloth that covered his body.

The room was silent. Not even a breath was taken from within the warehouse since all were watching and all had seen what had just happened. But the next sound that came, was the simultaneous dropping of the now dead twins with giant gashes in their backs. No one spoke, well, no one dared to speak more like.

Except for Deidara that is…

"Or he could stab you in the back without moving a muscle, that works to, un."

The blonde stood up and stretched his arms wide. He then went over to loosen the chains around Sasori so they could drop to the ground with loud clangs.

"So that's all of them, un?"

"Learn to count brat. There's still one more," Sasori said brushing invisible dust off himself.

"Who's left?"

"The one right in front of me."

Deidara looked straight ahead to see the tired boy from earlier, his gaze now determined. The blonde then flicked his fingers forward to point at the boy.

"Him?"

"…"Sasori didn't say a thing, all the same wondering if the other was acting stupid on purpose or really being that ignorant.

"You don't have to worry about him, un."

"And why is that?" The redhead said suppressing a hiss.

"Well first," Deidara turned and faced the boy with a smile. "I think he has something to say to us."

The boy gave an ugly sneer, his glasses edging toward the very tip of his nose. He then said, very slowly:

"I do in fact, have something to say… Honoo."

The boy grinned wickedly, even giving a disturbed laugh. But after a minuet, he looked confused.

"Honoo… Honoo. Honoo! Honoo! HONOO!" He shouted to the pointed he was breathless.

But now it was Deidara's turn to laugh, with all eyes on him none the less. "Honestly, and I'm the one that gets called a brat, un. Now listen kid," he pointed to the now in distress boy who had taken on a look of madness. "You seem to be smart, so I will give you one second to figure out why you are going to die and I'm not, un."

In truth, it really did take the boy less than a second for his eyes to widen with realization.

But it was to late for him.

"Katsu."

Red, orange, yellow and white. A boom that destroyed eardrums and a wind of strong proportions knocking men to it's feet. Burning flesh now beginning it's process of decay, blood rained down in rich bitterness, as it now dyed the innocence of the young and old.

The men that had formed part of the ring that was by the boy were knocked to ground, while Sasori and Deidara stood perfectly fine, only more or less drenched in blood and human tissue.

But leave it to his regular, the teen that never ceased to surprise him, to break the quiet the Sasori felt engulfed in.

The blonde turned to the upper railing where the leaders of such feared gangs and their assistants resided, completely in surprise and amazement.

"Hn… is that all?"


	20. Sleepless and Sound?

**DISCLAMINER: If I say I own nothing… would you honestly be surprised? **

**A/N: Ha! You guys are lucky I'm nice, updating a week later, and with smut no less! Le sigh. That is right, in this second part, you get smut with a moody *cough* bitchy *cough* Deidara. Sorry, I must be catching a cold… But you guys do know how lucky you are right?**

**-Little Voice in Head-: Yeah, sure. You're just updating as fast as you can cause you felt bad last time it took you a month to even post a new chapter.**

**Shut up! I'm not that nice… But i hope you guys like this. It's the first time I've written smut for a continuous story, so dont murder me please! And I have done some oneshots but not like this where there's supposed to be something after. So i pray i did well and i hope you guys like it! **

**FROM THE GIRL THAT HAS THE FEELING SHE SHOULD SCREAM**

**Teiden~**

DAY 27 - SATURDAY - 1:00 A.M.

They had been washed of the red sticky liquid in provided showers and they had been given clearance by the other leaders that they could do as they please in the battles that were approaching. And that if they ever needed help or wanted it, they were aloud to seek it else where as long as those people could take care of themselves and not be unneeded deaths.

Now Sasori was sure that they would never need such help, but if they did, he knew Kisame and Kakuzu would love to knock a few heads around.

But now both artists were getting a ride in a tank proof stretch Hummer SUV back to the apartments. For some reason, Deidara had wanted to go back to the brick building, and he wouldn't even tell the elder why. Though, after the blonde's actions in the warehouse, Sasori didn't feel like questioning him.

When they arrived at the familiar building, his regular popped out of the vehicle with no word, but Sasori followed anyway a minuet later. Figuring the brat was going to his place anyway, it wouldn't matter if he followed.

"Good morning, Sasori." Nana Gem greeted him as he entered.

"Good morning," he replied curtly and headed to the stairs.

"Well, at least you returned my greeting."

But that small sentence stopped him.

"What do you mean old hag?"

"Young Deidara didn't answer. So rude really. Is he in a bad mood?"

Sasori said nothing and headed up the stairs to his home. Finding his door open and Cherry in his living room with the younger in his bed room, he had to wonder… Had the world gone insane, or did people just not think of privacy, or even curtsey anymore?

"Deidara was waiting outside your door. So I let him in." The female redhead explained from his couch.

"And how did you do that?"

"I turned the knob. Honestly Sasori, will you ever learn to lock doors?"

Sasori ignored this comment and went to the kitchen. It had been about a month since he had last called Pein. And with the recent reminder of his boss, he supposed it be a good time to report in. So he dialed the familiar number, it only needing to ring twice before an answer came.

"Hello Sasori, so nice of you to call."

"It is an honor Pein-sama."

"How has the job been going?"

"Progressing. My opportunities seem to be increasing oddly, but I have received no order to proceed."

"Be that as it may. Have you heard from Kisame or Kakuzu? They are less willing to give me a call, unlike you."

"I quit my cover job with them. Some… unusual problems arose and I found it best to move on. I have plenty of money anyway."

"That is fine. Anything else you would like to report?"

"… I will be sending two new ones to you tomorrow. I have already made arrangements."

"Sasori," Pein's voice lowered.

"I killed them on my own time. They have nothing to do with job or the customer."

"Fine. If that is all then…"

"Prepare them."

"What?"

"Prepare all of them in stoarge. I have a feeling I'm going to be needing them."

"Why would you need all of them?" Though it was a question, Sasori could hear the anger in his boss's voice now.

"I may need them in the next coming movements. And I mean I want every single one in the warehouse prepared and ready to move when needed."

"There should be no reason you would need all three hundred-"

"Pein-sama. I mean no disrespect, but I will need all of them most likely if my estimates are correct. Just prepare them as needed. And if the time comes, I will send for them myself." He snapped the phone at that. He had been working under that man for a few good years now, and after all this time, how could he not trust his word?

Frustrated and tired, Sasori walked into the living where Cherry and Deidara were _seeming_ to have a polite conversation…

"Oh come on! Bambi told me all about it over the phone less than an hour ago. How did you do it?"

"It wasn't difficult, un." The blonde said from across the room leaning against the wall.

"You used someone's own bombs against them, Deidara. That isn't just common knowledge they teach at school."

"I redid his set word when I added pressure to two certain points, then whispered my own. And when I pointed to him while he was off guard, I flicked all the little bombs he sent to me, un. Once they were on his skin, he was already sentenced to death, un…"

"But…" The female redhead stared at the young male in a slight mix of confusion and awe. "How did you know…?"

"We used similar bombs. Only his were two sizes bigger so you can see them easier with the human eye, un."

"So you really did blow up Itazura's house… I thought Sasori just-"

Sasori coughed then, making Cherry shut her trap quicker than an eye could blink.

"Are you ready brat?"

"I've been ready Sasori, you're the one that's been making me wait, un," and without a glance, Deidara went out the door and out of sight. Leaving two differing redheads.

"What's wrong with him?" Cherry asked with a soft voice. And though the puppeteer found the female annoying to extreme limits, he could see her concern for the younger was real. Which was almost surprising considering her usual detachment to people as it was.

"I don't know, but this better not go on for long."

Sasori narrowed his eyes and went out the door, not bothering to shut it since he knew Cherry wouldn't stay in his home for long. Down the stairs and out the lobby, he found Deidara in the car with the door open, his arms crossed and seeming to be waiting. A look going between zoned out blank and annoyance, Sasori stood at the door for a second to study the other further but…

"Your wasting time Danna. We need to go, un."

Sasori got in the car and shut the door behind him, the vehicle moving in the next second to the where the Kyoko resided. They sat in silence. Deidara far and distance in his troubled mind. Sasori yelling in his head that the brat was being snotty and stubborn and overall inexcusable.

So it was decided before it could be thought, the puppeteer would fix this by every forceful means he could think of.

When they arrived, they got out of the car and into the building. Ignoring the 'hello's' and such, they took off their shoes and socks and headed down to their room, the younger not really even paying attention to his surroundings as he entered the safety of the shared space. Either way, he tossed his clay that he had retrieved from the apartments and lowered himself onto the bed. Not taking notice to anything else.

Sasori shut the door behind him, locking it consciously. He was tired of the brat ignoring him and giving him attitude. So he decided that he would give the other a chance to explain, but if not done quickly, for he was not a patient man, he would go to force. And undoubtedly, he knew, he could make the blonde squeal in more than one way…

But Deidara was still lost in his run away train of thought. And it was filled with nothing but emotions that made him want to loath every single thing in the world. That also depressed and confused him though, right down to the deep, bottom, ocean blue. These emotions made his knees weaken, and exasperated his nerves. It all was raking him right now. And he had no idea how to take control of them. Deidara Iwa, the middle child of two perfect people, had never felt so contradicted by his own mind. It was almost as if his heart had betrayed his morals, and all the reason behind them. He was sickened. Wanting to bitterly cry and smash down all the walls in the building.

What was wrong with him?

"Brat!"

Deidara looked up with a jump. Now having a feeling that Sasori no Danna had been calling his name for a matter of minuets now. So he locked his eyes as best he could to the elder, giving him as much attention as he could possibly muster when his head was still cluttered with unneeded things.

"Danna, un…?"

Sasori took a deep breath in, trying to calm himself as much as possible before speaking… "I'll make this as simple as I can. Why have you been blocking out the entire world since we saw that bitch getting dragged to her execution?"

"There's nothing wrong Danna."

"Cut the bullshit." The redhead narrowed his eyes. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, un," the younger looked down with his words, not able to keep up under the harsh eyes.

Sasori growled. The day had been long and almost absurd at some points, and the brat was making things a lot more complicated than necessary. Here he was, trying to be considerate and was now being shot down and ignored with no respect.

That was going to have to change.

The puppeteer strode across the floor, Deidara not even looking up once. Then not taking a second for the other to grasp what was happening, he pushed the blonde down on the bed and then crawled on top of him. His knee's tight against the other's, his hand whipped up to grab both of the younger's hands and put them above his head. Lastly, his right hand held firmly on to the other's chin, the blue eyes now staring up at him with some true surprise.

"Now, Deidara, what the hell is your problem?"

The blonde looked at him for an unknown amount of time, his eyes never blinking. But after so long, as if something was taking over his vision, he started to laugh as if something was the most hysterical thing that had ever happened.

What the hell? Had the brat gone off the deep end?

"Oh Danna! _I _have no problems, un! _They _are the ones that have problems!" Deidara's eyes, for a moment full or mirth, flashed with ire.

"They?" Sasori questioned.

"Them! All of them, un!" The blonde's voice started to raise now, his body now also struggling under his hold. But now the redhead was curious.

Who and what was wrong with them?

"… You mean at the warehouse?"

"Hell fucking yes, Danna. _Them_, un."

The elder chuckled. The brat's little rampage was adorable, and a turn on at the same time almost.

"What are you laughing at, hn?"

And it seemed his tease was firing the blonde up even more… perfect.

"Alright Dei, I'll bite. What about them makes you so _ticked_?" Sasori let his hand drop from his hold on the sculptors firm chin and let it glide down the tanned neck, his thumb brushing against the light red cheek that was bright from anger.

"How they kill, un."

He snickered. "I hate to break your bubble there Dei, but you're going to be slaughtering a few pigs in the next couple of weeks."

Sasori let go Deidara's hands. Instead, he ran his fingers through the soft flowing locks. Occasionally just barely running along the back of the other's neck, noticing the slightest shiver that went down the blonde's spine.

"No…!" the younger tried to bring back his train of thought. "I could careless that they kill. People die every day, un. It's the way that they kill is what sets me off, un."

"The way they kill?" The redhead stopped his moving fingers for a second to stare. "So does the way I kill bother you also?"

Deidara finally reacted in a different sense. Crossing his arms, a playful smile twitched on his lips freely. "On the contrary Danna, un. You're a beautiful murder," he chuckled. "Especially tonight, un."

"And what makes you say that?" He looked at the younger now sitting up with his own arms crossed, the blonde propping himself up on his elbows with the look of a mischievous imp now taking his appearance.

"Well for one, you prefer blades over guns, un. Guns are so boring and dull, everyone uses them, and if you get hit once, your gone. But any form of a blade can do much more, un. Cutting, sawing, chopping, peeling… the list goes on and on…" Deidara let his voice get slower, deeper, all at the same time his hands were snaking their way up along Sasori's arms. "And tonight as I saw, you can destroy a soul with your body, which is probably rigged with weapons now that I think about it, un." His fingers locked behind the redhead's neck. Now using the elder's weight, he slowly started to pull himself upwards, his hand mouth's tongues coming out to play and nip at the puppeteer's locks. "But best of all, if you haven't noticed, un…" he whispered. "I like artist things." He was right at Sasori's ear, the hot air lightly moving the blood dipped pieces of hair. "And if you didn't know Danna… your body is art, un!"

The blonde crashed their lips together, the kiss instantly becoming full of fever. His lips moved desperately fast. He couldn't understand it. What had happened to him? First he felt like sulking to the end of time, then he wanted to tear the very building over their heads apart brick by brick with his furry. And now he felt insane. His mind told him he needed Sasori, and that he needed everything the other could offer. The redhead's mind, love and body, he wanted it all. He _needed _it all for himself.

And there was no way to deny the lust pounding in his very veins.

Though while the younger questioned and sorted his stressed mind, Sasori was enjoying himself fully. Groping the blonde's fine tight ass. His tongue now fight a juicy battle against supple lips… And what was even better was Deidara putting his own inferno into their actions, making him even more aroused with interest than he already was.

"Danna…" the other panted between breaths. "Is the door locked?" Sasori looked at the younger for only a second to then give an airy chortle. A partner that was still ruled over by their hormones… the world could of given him worse things.

"Don't worry Dei. With the noises you'll be making, no one will even dare come near the door."

"Un?"

Deidara had no time to think. He was pushed down on the bed, a hand tugging his shirt over his head, and then a mouth on his neck. The next thing he knew, he was moaning under Sasori, hoping no mercy would shown to him.

One hand worked on his nipple, turning it and twisting it painfully to only have an apologetic rub come a second later after he whimpered involuntarily. And while the other hand of the puppeteer ran up and down his side lightly, there was already a trail of hickies from his upper neck, almost to his shoulder.

So to say in the least, his pants were becoming increasingly tight.

"Danna…!" He pushed his groin up, his own moan racking his ears so much that he barely registered that he wasn't the only one that made a noise. But that just felt _so_ good that he did it again, receiving the same swollen pleasure as before.

Deidara's mind was not with him. He wasn't sure where it was, but it took him far to long to notice that through their dry humping session, it wasn't just him that was enjoying this.

Sasori had an erection too.

The thought clicked in his head and he couldn't help but grin.

The blonde flipped them around and attacked the elder against the back board with starving lips. Though he wasn't entirely sure which of them was moaning, he didn't want to waist his opportunity. Letting his hands travel down Sasori's shirt, popping open the buttons and running his hand along the hem of the fabric, he eventually pull it off and toss to the floor.

He looked at the nonhuman chest with desire and fasination. It was just so beautiful. He knew it wasn't real skin even though it felt every bit like it, right down to the warmth.

But that was not what he was focusing on.

Deidara started to kiss down, and down, and down. Right to where a tight crease was formed in Sasori's trousers. And knowing that the redhead was waiting, he intentionally started to rub the cloth with a feather light touch, making the other above give something between a moan and a growl.

"Brat-!" Sasori said sharply through his teeth.

"Hn? Is there something you want me to do Danna, un?" The blonde asked holding back his laugh.

But all Deidara got as a response was the narrowing of two brown eyes.

The blonde smirked though, and let his hand mouth come up around puppeteer's waist line to start licking and biting, while his other hand gingerly rubbed the increasingly tight groin that he oh so wanted to taste.

"Oh Danna~"

"Fine!" The elder's hand lashed out to grab his chin, pulling his entire body with him so they could see directly eye to eye. "You go ahead and _suck _me Dei-_chan_. But I don't want to hear any complaining when I fuck your brains out."

Sasori then continued to quickly smash their lips together and push him off and down in the next second.

So, with Deidara deciding that his Danna was under major sexual repression, he unbutton the top and moved the zipper down quickly to then grab the other's pants and slide them down with ease. He grabbed the rims of the redhead's boxers at once and tugged them down off the puppeteer. And there it was before his eyes, Sasori's pre-coming cock.

The blonde stared for a long moment, his breath truly caught.

What was wrong with him, he wondered…? He couldn't say exactly what but he just felt so… enthralled. So, as his hand ran up and down the hot muscle lightly with his hand mouth tongue, he couldn't help but grin devilishly at the face his Danna was making. For it was purely a twisted mix of pleasure and dominance. A look that only his Sasori no Danna could really pull off.

"Dei…" Sasori panted as he was engulfed in a wet heat that made him shudder and want to give out right then. But surprisingly, the ecstasy increased as the blonde started to suck and hum, all the while groping his balls and rubbing them, causing intense friction.

The redhead sat up with a groan of force and insanity. It was just so much bliss… He intertwined his fingers in the beautiful gold field of hair that was sticking to the sculptor's neck. He then pushed down, making the younger deep throat him, knowing he was close to the edge.

Deidara hummed louder to a tune he knew long ago. Such an innocent song it was, but now it was being used for not so innocent deeds. He now deep throated the elder. Not really wanting to gag again, but he didn't have to do this strange action for long. In the next moment or two, the knot in the redhead was released into his mouth and down his throat.

Tasty.

The blonde let the piece of flesh fall out of his mouth and on the bed sheets, a droplet of cum still at the corner of his lips.

"Hmm… I don't think I'm going to be getting much sleep tonight Danna. I'm going to be up for who knows how long figuring out your flavor, un," Deidara smirked, his triumph evident in the elder's face.

"Shut it brat…" Sasori said finally regaining his breath. "But guess what?"

Deidara blinked. "What?"

"Your turn."

Sasori sprung, flattening the other against the bed with kisses on his neck and his fingers at the lush pink lips. Deidara, took them in and soaked them with his tongue. Glazing the digits with his saliva as an excuse to muffle his moans as Sasori sucked and nibbled on his skin. Finally, the redhead's other hand slid to his pants and undid them so fast that he didn't even realize he was completely nude until the other started to chuckle above him.

"My my Dei, it seems someone is excited."

Deidara growled slightly. He spit out the finger's and pushed his own groin up, hitting Sasori's reheated one.

"I'm not the… only one… Danna, un." He was panting, he was sweating, and he was horny as hell and was a few seconds away from begging to be fucked. So why was his Danna trying to tease him into thinking he was the only one liking this?

But Sasori really was enjoying himself. In fact, he had to grit his teeth so he didn't mutter nonsense like a complete idiot. After all, he was the dominate one, and he mostly just wanted the blonde to feel all the pleasure he could give. But if the brat needed some reassurance…

"Your right, because this is what we both want isn't it?"

Like a magnet, their lips were drawn back together. This was another slow kiss, just like in the rain. It was gentle and loving, it said that both cared about the other. And it was also a sign of permission as it happens. To do what was considered a sin to many.

But it seems this rule was the best to break in the world.

So, using the kiss as a distraction, the redhead prodded his finger into the tight entrance of the younger, who's slight hiss was dissolved by the tongue that entered his mouth. Sasori let the other adjust to the feeling, and then he let his second finger slide into the steaming hot heat and began to scissor.

Deidara gasped at the sensations he was getting, but when the third finger entered him, that's when his eyes started to tear up. It hurt. He didn't expect to feel any pain. He thought this would be all pleasure. He thought this would be nothing but love. But it was there, an uncomfortable pain that he didn't know how to take.

Then it was gone.

He almost wanted to give a sigh in relief, but that thought was all to soon. Sasori's hard cock was right there in the next second to replace the fingers. He braced himself and closed his eyes tight, expecting the pain to come again.

Sasori noticed though, he could tell the blonde's body was very unused to this kind of attention, even though it probably craved it. And now he knew he would have to be gentle… but that was a lot harder than it sounded. So he placed a little kiss on the sculptor's forehead, making the bright blue eyes rimmed with water stare at him with confusion.

"Danna…"

"Your gonna have to be brave for me Dei."

Deidara nodded. He trusted Sasori, he loved him.

Sasori nodded back and pushed in slowly, the blonde wincing as he did so. Once he was fully sheathed, he waited. For once in his entire life, Akasuna Sasori found himself being patient with reason, and for some brat none the less. This thought almost made him smile. Honestly, where had he gone wrong into falling in love with such an idiotic, ignorant, stubborn-

"D-Danna… move, un!" Strong hands grabbed his shoulders and the small tremors of the younger's body made him want to cum all over again. But it also made him remember that he had done nothing but a most amazing right.

Deidara tightened his grip on the puppeteer's shoulders as he felt the hot muscle move inside of him, making him feel as if he was being split in half. Speed was being picked up, and new angles were being tried.

The blonde groaned from the bottom of his throat once something was hit inside of him. He couldn't really register anything else around him except the deep sound from above.

Sasori smirked at the dazed look in the other's eye as he continued to hit the spot again and again, the tight muscle around his cock contracting with each hit making him have his own waves of pleasure.

"Ah… Danna!"

"Come on… sit up now."

The redhead helped his lover sit up against the bed board. Both of their pants echoing out against the walls, Sasori started to pump Deidara's cock as he continued to pound inside the tight heat. And then…

"_Danna~!_" Deidara came over the both of them, Sasori following once the tight walls clamped down on him along with the erotic young man below him saying his name.

They fell on the pillows, looking at each other. The blue eyes staring at the warm brown. Their breathing was heavy, but they didn't seem to notice. Then once Sasori took the initiative and pulled out of the blonde, they both shuddered.

For a minuet, they stayed like this, catching their breath. But Deidara, probably turning mad, started to give an airy laugh.

"What's so funny?" The elder asked, but Deidara just continued to laugh.

"Brat," he grabbed the blonde's chin and pulled so their face's were less than an inch apart. "What's so funny?" The redhead gave the younger a second to calm down before he started to glare.

But once his regular found his voice…

"I was right, you are sexually repressed, un." He then started to chuckle again at the elder's surprised face.

That is until he felt another body on top of him.

"Un…?"

"You just dug your own grave brat."

Deidara's lips were crushed with a rough kiss, and it was then he got the feeling he wouldn't be sleeping at all that night.


	21. Frail Structure

**DISCLAMINER: I own nothing. And though I think I went a little OC on Deidara's character this time with being a little girly… considering the situation, I think its fine. Besides, if anything, I blame the clothes… you'll see what I mean.**

**A/N: Well, 20 chapters. Never thought I get this far with so many reviews and love from all you guys. I could almost cry! But I wont because I'm not a sap… most of the time. Yeah, really short chapter though. And I will warn you now…**

**You all will probably hate me by the end.**

**But… is it to much to ask for my 200th** **review on this chapter? I kinda wanted it to be on the last one but I knew that was a serious long shot. Really the only reason I wanted that many reviews was because it was chapter 20. Get it? 200? 20? Ha… it's to much to ask isn't it? Damn. There goes my dreams…**

DAY 28 – SUNDAY – 10:15 A.M.

It was a beautiful morning. The birds were chirping and the sun was shining cheerfully among the happy souls of the city. It was the perfect day for shopping, socializing, going to the mall, or even hitting the beach for the first wave in the brand new summer air. The clouds had moved on with their gloom and everything seemed brightened and happy.

Except for one little poor, abused soul that lay under the earth in his room, a call for his lover.

"Danna, unnnn!"

"I'm coming Deidara." Sasori came through the door, a tray of prepared bed and breakfast in his grasp. This was almost the most impossible moment that ever could be thought about.

He, Akasuna Sasori, was being enslaved until further notice. For reasons that were… completely his own fault…

The redhead placed the tray on the bed carefully and sat down next to the young, and locked eyes. Placing a hand on the smooth cheek, he gave a gentle kiss to the tanned skin.

"Are the painkillers working? Can you sit up?"

"With help… maybe, un."

The puppeteer placed his hands along the other's shoulders and pulled him up. Deidara winced slightly and leaned up against the backboard. The painkillers hadn't really taken their full swing yet, but he was starting to feel a little numb where needed.

"I got you some peanut butter toast, sliced apples, and some tea. After you eat you can go back to sleep for however long you like and then maybe you'll be able to move around so we can go out to eat. Your choice."

The blonde gave a half smile at his Danna's sweet words. He really was trying to make up for last night, he could tell, even though his expression never really changed from his blank stare. But all of it was almost enough to make the younger say he was fine and that the other didn't need to do anything for him. Then again…

When would he ever again get a chance like this? Sure, he could of stopped all of it but… that was beside the point.

"You know Danna," Deidara kept his smile down. "I'm not really in the mood for tea, un."

"Hn. Then what do you want?"

"How about... hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, un?"

It became a harder task not to grin as he saw an eyebrow twitch on the redhead's face. "Hot chocolate… first thing in the morning?"

He couldn't help it, the temptation was to great.

"Do you not want to do it for me Danna, un? Girls have chocolate all the time when they're feeling bad, don't you think I should have some, un?" With the most innocent face of an angel, a devil was laughing his ass off underneath his exterior at the the elder's strained expression.

Yeah, life was good.

The redhead put on the most forced smile that had ever been shown to the world and said:

"Of course Deidara. I will get you your hot chocolate. And I'll make sure its not to hot so it doesn't _burn_ your tongue."

He left and shut the door carefully, only to then stress his steps so he didn't stomp up the stairs and into the kitchen where Gakupo was washing dishes. The redhead went to the pantry, grabbed a packet of hot chocolate, a can of whipped cream, and marshmallows, threw them on the counter, and reached for a mug from the cabinet to start pouring water into the kettle so he could heat it up.

Sasori started to tap his finger irritability against the counter top, but luckily for him, the purple haired man was merciful and decided to bring up a conversation to distract him.

"Rough morning?"

"So far…" he replied.

"Hm… so I'm guessing young Deidara is taking advantage of you taking advantage of him?"

Okay, maybe this wasn't that merciful.

"Something like that…"

Gakupo chuckled. "It would make sense I suppose. We had to move Nigaito upstairs to sleep with Kaito, but even then the whole building could hear you through the ventilation."

Sasori slammed his head down on the counter, in both frustration and humiliation. Three words running through his head.

What the fuck…?

Why was the entire building _listening _to them?

"But you could imagine our curiosity. Not many of us even have the ability to enjoy a sexual life."

Sasori calmed at that. Years ago, when he was on job with Kikaito by coincidence, he found out about the Kyoko and their terrible secret that made them very similar to him. Fifty years ago, they once were all singers, and Kaito's brothers were their stage crew. On the night of their last concert, while they were playing on the biggest stage in Europe, four, two story amps exploded. The frequency was so high that most people in the first VIP rows right up front lost their hearing; and just from screaming to much, they lost their voices also. When the bodies of the Kyoko were found, they all were barley alive, and almost burned beyond existence. Kaito's brothers had been spared a little from being backstage, but they still suffered.

That was then their master found them.

He took in all the charred bodies and replaced most of their limbs and organs with robotic technology. So ever since that day, Miku, Kaito, Meiko, Len, Rin, Gakupo, Luka and Gumi were turned into machine dolls with a human brain controlling them. They had very few places where their nerves functioned correctly. But they were alive and they still had each other, and since all of them were orphans, they all were the closest thing each other had.

Once they were all fully healed, they soon found out about the serious damages that had happened to their fans from the first two rows. Feeling responsible, they begged their master to put in new voices and ear drums. After a year, their master gave in and took in all of their fans that had been hurt and gave them new voices just like their's, only underdeveloped. These humans were given the names Utauloids and now worked close with the Kyoko.

But their secret was not kept forever. A certain agency in the government soon found out and demanded that they use the deceives in their vocal cords that produced painful illusions. The Kyoko leader and master obeyed, not wanting to jeopardize those he looked after. So that was where the NND was born. Now the Kyoko didn't really like these people very much, so they rarely talked to them with the exception of Clear, Ask and a few others.

Kikaito told him this sad story once he had accidentally heard his deep baritone voice. And what was sad was his voice was a fluke. When they had first been brought to their master's home, he asked for a volunteer to show that he could be trusted, but also because the voice synthesizer had not been tested yet. Kikaito volunteered. He did in fact get a new voice, but the only problem was the quality. The Kyoko leader promised that the problem would not happen to any of them, and it didn't.

But Kikaito was still left with a voice with glitches.

Sasori knew the man didn't mind it that much anymore, but that he was still conscious about it around strangers.

The water steamed and whistled. The redhead snapped out of the blank state he was in and started to prepare the hot chocolate; whipped cream marshmallows and all. He then took the cup downstairs and to his room. Deidara had been playing with his clay, molding it into little animals and such. But when the elder came into the shared space, the blonde lit up.

"Thank you, Danna, un."

"Hn," Sasori set the cup down next to the other food the younger had yet to touch.

"Hey… Danna?" Deidara's smile was gentle and soft as he looked as this love. "I'm not really hungry now, un. How 'bout I just lay down and…"

The redhead returned his smile genuinely, making him blush.

"Its alright Dei. I'll get out of your way so you can sleep."

The redhead started to walk out of the room, and Deidara was so stunned by the other's tender nature, he barely registered that he grabbed on to Sasori's shirt. Soon the standing man was looking down at him, and Deidara's face fully flushed.

"Um… no. Don't… do that, un…"

"Hn?" Sasori asked calmly, making him even more unsure of himself.

"…Stay…"

"What?"

"Lay down… with me, un…" his cheeks boiled down to a subtle pink when he saw the redhead lips twitch up kindly, making his blonde hair stand on end.

An amazing reminder of how much he loved his Danna.

"Of course, Deidara."

Sasori went around to the other side of the bed and covered his bottom half with the sheets, to then place a light kiss on the younger's forehead. With locked eyes and innocent content, they lowered themselves under the sheets, Deidara partially curling up in his arms.

The sculptor fell asleep quickly. While the other simply just took in the moment with a light curve to his lips. The story of the Kyoko had him thinking quite a bit now; as to how he was lucky enough to be able to love Deidara, even with his physical condition. And it still amazed him, even though he was true art, he had somehow managed to find someone stupid and insane enough to show care to him. And now with his animalistic behavior the night before, it alarmed him to a certain point that such beautiful things were so fragile.

So how was he to mend it?

The idea popped into his head at random. And… even though the idea was not what he would of preferred it to be… he knew Deidara would like it.

Moving to get out of the bed so he could make a call, he got near the edge of the mattress when something kept him from moving. He looked over and saw the younger was holding onto his waist…

Sasori didn't care how fucking cute the brat was, his good natured attitude still had limits.

And so, the redhead struggled to get out of tan arms that seemed to be deceivingly stronger than they looked. But after a full ten minuets of wiggling and growling, he gave up and stared at the blonde.

"You know?" He started while tapping his finger on the mattress. "You are making this increasingly difficult for yourself. And your not even trying!" Sasori growled and turned away from the devil blonde to pull out his cell phone.

He would just have to whisper…

DAY 34 – SATURDAY – 6:43 P.M.

"Sasori no Danna… Fuck you, un."

The two artists were strolling out of the Kyoko's home. Sasori with a feeling of subtle pleasure, and Deidara with the intent to murder.

The reason for Deidara's want to kill, came from many things as it happened. The first was that Sasori was barley talking to him again. Though he was still managing to be tolerable towards the blonde; but… the fact that he had been ignored for almost a week now kinda bugged him. Then with the sudden urgency this morning. When he woke up, the elder was nowhere to be seen, and then out of thin air came three very evil people. Miku, the teal haired girl that had obliviously had a sugar based cereal that morning, burst into his room. Screaming and yelling and about to cry all in the process, by the time she was done, his mouth was taped with his arms and legs tied together. The young blonde twins Rin and Len then entered with expressions of Satan.

They dragged him away upstairs to a private room.

And then his torture had begun. Len stripped him. Rin re-dressed him up like a doll. Miku did his nails. They undressed him to then WAX his leg hair which HURT like a bitch. Len put new clothes on him that consisted of a loose and very short jean skirt that was ruffled at the ends. White leggings that went to about right above his knees. A black and white vertical stripped long sleeved T-shirt. And to top it all off, black one inch heels that came up and wrapped up around his ankle in two helix straps.

The makeup they put on him was modest. Rin seemed to be very careful with a brush. But she put on his usual black eyeliner, then went for the light blush on his cheeks (as if he wasn't already going to be red as hell wearing this get up as it was). Lastly, she put on a thin color of lipstick. After this, Deidara thought they were done and he was free to go. But he was wrong, oh so gravely wrong. Because the three Kyoko members crossed the very last line…

They did his hair.

Now the sculptor wasn't really a picky man about his appearance, he knew most girls thought he was hot anyway. But if there was anything that he took irritable pride in doing and felt great about it afterwards; kinda like he figured girls felt like after shaving their legs, it was his hair. If he didn't do it, then his locks were unruly and wild. Though once he got a straighter through it, and a few choice products, his hair was soft perfect gold.

But yet they denied his hard work.

The three young Kyoko members curled the ideal strands so they ended at his shoulder blades, instead of going down his back. Then they took the hair that covered his left eye and pulled it back around his head and clipped it in with a few tight twits so that both his eyes could be seen.

Which was kinda weird since he never used both his eyes at the same time.

When they were done, they threw him out the door, Len giving him their adieu with just a few words that made his anger explode.

"Sorry, Sasori's orders."

The door slammed. Deidara was ready to kill. He stomped down to the main level, his heels clicking. But he saw the redhead down at the bottom of the steps, waiting.

And though Sasori would never admit it in his entire life; if could still physically blush, he would have. When Deidara first saw the elder, he hesitated. And all for the reason that Sasori was dressed as a normal teenager. White tennis shoes, tan cargo pants, a violet shirt and an dark olive hoodie. And even if it was plain, it surprising that the other would dress so casually.

So now here they were, Sasori dragging him around the city in plain day light, not even seeming to be worried in the least, and was not telling him a thing.

"God damn it Danna! Answer me, un!"

"Hn?" The redhead finally turned around in the busy sidewalk of people to notice him.

"What is with you? First you act all sweet and fawn over me, then you go and ignore me for days and-"

"I ignored you?" The puppeteer seemed shocked at this.

"Un!"

"I suppose I have been a little busy with myself the past few days," his hand reached out to lightly hold his fingertips. "I apologize, Deidara."

The blonde slapped the hand away, not even caring about the few stairs he got from passer-bys.

"How about you apologize for my attackers this morning who mauled me with makeup and terrible clothes and… they ruined my hair, un!"

Sasori stared a little wide eyed at the blonde, not sure how to react. The little tantrum, pout and crossed arms were not expected in the course of the day. But then he smirked as a thought came to him.

Reaching out for Deidara again, there was no choice offered. The elder's grip was firm, and as he grabbed his regular's chin, he brought their lips together, creating a warmth that melted the both of them into each other's arms. But Deidara suddenly realized the time and place and snapped away.

"D-Danna! What are you-" his lips were covered by the redhead's quickly to then move against his ear in hushed whispers.

"One of the many nice things about these outfits is that people don't even glance our way."

"Danna…" Deidara whimper as a nibble came to his ear. "Where are you taking me, hn? Or are you just stealing me away?" Something sparkled in the younger's eyes after he said that, making him chuckle and move a little strand of hair behind his lover's ear.

"On a surprise date you ungrateful brat. What else?"

Stunned.

It was the only word that could describe how he felt then, but just like one of his bombs, he burst after so much had built up.

"Sasori!"

Deidara tackled the other up against a brick building wall with multiple kisses. He couldn't help it! The blonde kissed puppeteer's cheeks, nose, eyes, lips, chin, neck. Basically whatever skin that was visible. Then when he was done he wrapped his arms around the elder's neck and berried his head in the other's chest.

"I love you, Danna, un," he whispered while feeling arms come around his waist.

"Good," the redhead said. "Now how about we get going?"

"Un!"

They merged into the crowd, Deidara linking their hands and refusing to let the other go. They walked for a while to soon come upon a mass of people. It was then the younger realized where he was being taken. It was the Summer's Festival. There were stands and bright colors and games and rides along the side streets. There was just so many people with happy faces, and when someone would occasionally pass him a glace, their expressions never changed.

They had no idea who he was…

Deidara brightened considerably. He played games and ate some yummy fried, fattening and other wise sugar coated food. He somehow even managed to coax Sasori into going on a few rides. But as the sun started to get lower, they started to leave, but they weren't heading back toward the Kyoko home…

"Where are we going now Danna?"

"You'll see…"

The sun got lower with pinks, oranges and yellows mixing into one, but not maroon quite yet. They walked until the redhead made an unexpected turn that made them come to an iron fence that blocked in the park. And before Deidara knew it, Sasori was starting to climb and was landing on the other side of the fence.

"What are you doing, un?"

"The main entrance is closed."

"Then that means its probably closed for some reason. What is this place anyway, hn?"

"It's called Echo Park and I could careless. Start climbing."

"…"

"You don't want to climb because you're in a skirt, don't you?" Sasori crossed his arms.

"… Is it that obvious?"

"Come on Brat, no one is around to see."

Deidara gulped and started to climb up and over, but when he was about halfway down, something slipped up his skirt and pinched his arse.

The blonde yipped and fell to the grass on the other side of the fence, the first thing his eyes catching right above him being the blank face of the redhead…

"Bastard, un."

"Love you too."

Sasori offered a hand, the boy on the ground taking it half-heartedly.

"So, why'd you want in this park anyway, un?"

"How about you follow me and find out?"

"Tch. Fine, un."

The younger followed the senior artist with annoyance and curiosity. And soon they came to the old bridge with a river a good thirty meters below with a rocky shore. Sasori sat back against one of beams and patted on the wood beside him for Deidara to join. Though he knew he would regret it later probably, the blonde sat down and watched the now dark sky.

"You still haven't told me why you wanted in here, un." Deidara let his head fall on the other's shoulders, suddenly feeling tense for no reason it seemed.

"…"

"And I'm only worrying about you ya know, un…" his nerves suddenly hitched and he started to ramble in the silence of the moment. "I mean I know your impatient, un, and I guess this is your way for making up for last weekend when you gave me a soar ass but that was my first time, un, and you shouldn't be that concerned so much, so-"

"Brat."

"Hai?"

The redhead smirked. "If you're so worried about my impatient manner, why don't you calm down your hormones and start up a conversation?"

"Hn… Conversation, un…" He shut down, not really sure what had happened to him. So he scanned through the events of the day, trying to find something, but it seemed words just decided to fall out of his mouth. "What are some of those supposed 'many' advantages these clothes have, un?"

Sasori chuckled a little at this question. "Just to name a few? Well, I knew we would need disguises. So I made myself look younger with these and those brought out your feminine side."

"Je, thanks Danna, un…" he crossed his arms. Now feeling more irritated and more like a god damn girl. He sensed arms slither around his waist and pull him in between the other's legs.

"Don't be like that Dei."

Though the words were sweet, the blonde could imagine the other's face perfectly impassable.

"There's other things too, you know."

"Hn?" He glowered. "Like what?"

"How about I can see both your eyes?" A squeeze came to his waist, his mood softening just a little. "And that you can enjoy yourself without being really seen."

"That… did make me happy, un."

"But you know what's the best thing?"

"What?"

A pinch came to his butt, making his jump. "Full ass access."

"Danna!"

There was a whistle below them. His position was suddenly shifted and he was in Sasori's full hold, his lips being brought in for a kiss. And then suddenly, as their lips touched, a bright red light flashed and a boom range out. Deidara turned his head quickly and saw a flower of fire dissolve into smoke.

"Fireworks…" Deidara couldn't find any words except for a few. "So this is how you repay me, un…" He leaned back into his lover's embrace, as his head resting on the other's shoulder.

"The reason they closed the park is so they can set the fireworks off. They're right below us as it happens, so I got you the best seat in the house." The soft words drifted past his ear just as another whistle came from below them, and a gold explosion bloomed in the dark sky. "Is this sufficient?"

The sculptor smiled. "Un."

They watched the fireworks go off 'til late in the night, the grand finally making Deidara grin brighter than most thought possible. Then once all had ended; the fire flowers wilted and their smoke winds gone, the two artists stayed there just in each other's company. Enjoying each their presences.

Sasori was happy that he had managed to raise his little Brat's spirit's, but being constantly kind… well, kind for him, was tiring in a sweetly sick way. But there was one last thing he had planned to finish off the night, and with the younger snuggling in his arms, he thought it was the perfect moment to set things in play.

Deidara felt kisses down his neck. Soon these light touches became a hot tongue and merciless teeth along his sensitive skin. The arms around his waist tightened and raised him up into the other's hold. Then a surprise hand slipped under his skirt, and rubbed up against his manhood with teasing finger tips.

"Sasori no Danna…" The blonde whimpered with a shiver down his body. "Not… here, un…"

"Yes here," another bite came to the tan neck. Sasori felt his lover tense, confirming his fears. "Dei, this time its going to be all about you. I promise that you will feel nothing but pleasure this time, and though I can't promise a completely painless awakening, it's only because your body isn't used to it yet. But with a little practice, I can tell you that you will be in complete ecstasy no matter what we do."

Deidara turned to look at him, but the look given was not what he expected. It seemed more… confused than he wanted.

"Did you think I wouldn't want to love you again just because I woke up with a sore butt, un?" The younger blinked. "After how much you've been trying to make it up to me when you really didn't have to, un? … I'd still love you no matter what."

His regular kissed his lips, the moment swelling with heat soon enough.

But luck was not with them that night.

Faster than anyone could comprehend, smoke enveloped the two artists. Sasori felt a pinch in his heart capsule and he fell of the wooden bridge limp. Deidara screamed and kicked, but someone came behind him. The last thing his eyes were able to catch was the sight of two gold orbs, gleaming with victory.

He passed out…

DAY 35 – SUNDAY – 5:59 A.M.

The sun was rising and the sweet dew on the grass sparkled. The wood of the old bridge in Echo Park was cold to the point of numbness.

Sasori's eyes opened suddenly, his body jerking. He had been poisoned. But this was not the thing that alarmed him to the point of snapping sanity.

It was the fact that Deidara was nowhere to be seen.


	22. Tortures of Another Kind

**DISCLAMINER: over 200 reviews… I love you all! And just so you know, after this, there's probably around 10 chapters left. Depends on how I space it out. Now, what was I gonna say…? Oh! I own nothing. **

**A/N: Haha… Ha… remember when I said you guys would hate me? Well if you did last time, I may need to go in hiding for this chapter… So, um, WARNING: any major Deidara fans, you will either want to run away or skip this chap. That is for the sake of you, and me. **

**HEED MY WARNING**

**But the reviews are great guys, thanks! *Looks at last few reviews.* O_O *Hides behind wall…* remind me to never piss you guys off to much… But there is something that I think I should say.**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**

**Teiden~**

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

As soon as Deidara opened his eyes, he knew he was drugged. His throat felt thick and his vision was doubled. When he looked down, he saw that he was wearing one of those medical dresses people wore at the hospital. But he could also see that his skin had paled, while he was already clammy from a cold sweat.

He was in a wooden chair. He could grasp that thought fine. But his vision wouldn't let him see, and it confused his brain.

The walls were stone, and gray.

Yes, he just had to simplify things. He moved his feet. His ankles were tied. He flexed his arms and tried to move his wrists. His hands were tied. Wait. He shifted his waist. There was a hole in the bottom of his seat. What did that mean?

How would Sasori look at it?

The thought crossed his foggy mind and made his eyes grow with realization.

That was it. Deidara had to think like Sasori. As best as he could.

Okay. He was tied up… He had been kidnapped. The room was made of stone. He was tied to a chair with a hole in it. He was wearing a hospital dress…

As soon as that wrapped around his brain, the blonde suddenly became very aware of his lack of clothing and how his body felt. He made his heavy thighs move, feeling his underwear still in place. And there was no pain in his ass. So he hadn't been raped.

That was a bonus.

But the chair… and being tied up… What good would a hole in a chair do? Well, his ass and balls could be whipped from underneath… No, he didn't want to think of that. Considering it would hurt like hell if this were to happen. So, if he was tied up, that meant someone wanted to keep him here, probably for an extended period of time. And if they really didn't want to let him go, they wouldn't risk his escape. So they would keep him tied to the chair at all times? Yes! That was it. Deidara smirked. The hole was so he wouldn't shit himself.

He grimaced at the sudden understanding.

Oh how lovely…

The blonde stared at the ceiling now with a sore neck. For some reason, he had a feeling he was going to get acquainted to this room whether or not he wanted too…

DAY 35 - SUNDAY - 7:39 P.M.

"Hold him down!"

Chaos had broken out.

"But…"

"I said do it Kaito!"

Trust was being tested.

"Meiko, you're going to far."

"Do as I say! Do you want to risk our lives?"

Morals and emotions had mixed.

"But this isn't right!"

"Either hold him down or I kill him."

But it always did come down to one thing.

"Meiko!"

Sasori shouted, almost out of breath, his glower frightening most in the room. But Kaito, Akaito, Gakupo and Len were all hesitantly holding him down on the ground under Meiko's orders. The burnette woman finally looked at him, her power as the Kyoko leader being evident as most obeyed her orders, whether they wanted to or not. Any one really would of followed her at this stage, for her appearance from facial, to stance, glowed with strength and dominance.

"Akasuna Sasori. I have let you stay here under my kind grace. But I will not let you go and risk all our lives for one single human!"

"Meiko! Stop, please!" Miku started to wither as her pleads weakened to sobs.

"Rin, get her out of my sight." Meiko order the female twin.

Rin clenched her fists and closed her eyes tight, to then force herself to move over to the teal haired girl.

"Come on Miku, lets get you upstairs."

"No! Nothing… has been the same without Luka!" The teal haired girl snapped. "None of us have been the same!The house is missing a piece of itself. Gakupo has had his heart ripped out along with mine. And Meiko has gone insane and become some power control freak who's afraid to do what's right!"

"Insane?" Meiko strode across the floor and slapped Miku across her cheek, the sound echoed, and a red mark became visible instantly. Miku fell and Rin stared in horror as the scene unfolded only a meter in front of her. "I have been keeping our lives safe ever since the Master disappeared! And you say I've become weak? Ungrateful!" Meiko kicked Miku across the room, the smaller girl falling limp near the stairs once her body hit the metal railing. "And you!" The burnette turned to Rin, who was still in shock. "When I say to get someone out of my sight, you are to do it swiftly without kindness," the burnette grabbed the short blonde hair of Rin and raised her off the ground by it, making the fourteen year old girl scream and flail.

"Rin!" Len let go of Sasori and raced over to his sister, but Meiko saw this. So when he was in reach, she grabbed him by the neck and raised him up next to his sister. The both of them now struggling with fear in their eyes.

"Do you not understand? I am protecting the both of you!" She threw the twins against the stairs as she had done with Miku, only this time, the throw was backed by fueled anger. But Len recovered quickly, and went to hold his sister who was still in shock and now half conscious. He held her, smoothing out her hair and running his finger tips lightly over her face. Anyone could see the twins loved each other more than anything in the world. To what extent, no one knew. But what did it matter? The twins had always been together, and they wanted it like that.

So not even Meiko in her coldest rage had the heart to separate them.

"Taito, take the three of them upstairs and put them in a room. And I want them kept under lock and key. Now go."

The violet haired man nodded with a solemn face. He knew he could do nothing, and it was probably best that it stayed like that. So he went over to the stairs and whispered quietly to Len. The gentle words made him calm a little, so the male twin nodded and picked up his sister and carried her upstairs, while Taito hauled the unconscious Miku. Soon they were gone, and Meiko's eyes returned to the rest of the room.

Much more calm.

"I am protecting all of you. How can you not see? The most perfect example right now is Rin and Len. What do you think one of them would do if the other were to die?" Not a soul spoke, even though they all knew the answer. "That's right. Either one would kill themselves if they did not have the other. So I am not having this soulless man," she pointed to Sasori, "ruin our lives for an outsider."

All were silent. Even if they disagreed with Meiko fully, they couldn't do anything. The Kyoko always chose to not fight amongst each other whenever possible. Even if Deidara had grown on all of them, they knew Meiko was under the pressure of all their lives. But it seemed no matter how hard they tried not to strain her, it was never enough.

"Take him downstairs and lock him in his room until further notice." Meiko started to walk away with her power shown and followers loyal. But the redhead would not settle for this, for his fire still flared.

"And what would that notice be?" Sasori kept his voice steady even though his stare was deadly.

Meiko stopped and was quiet for a minuet, as if the thing she was about to say was hard. But finally she turned halfway to face him.

"Until it's most likely Deidara is dead."

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

Something slammed, making the blue eyes shoot open.

Deidara was no longer drugged, he could actually think very clearly now. So when he caught the sight of gold orbs and white hair, he was most certain of his urge to kill.

"Why hello there little Deidara. I'm so glad you're feeling better."

"Uragirimono. And here I was hoping I was going to be killed, un. But I know you wont do that."

"Oh, look who's gotten smart." The man gave his cat like grin.

"So, what? You're going to keep me here until Sasori finds me, and then you get him, un? Fat chance. You'll never be able to catch him, un."

"Oh no, no, no, no! This has nothing to do with our lovely redhead."

"…"

The white haired man got closer to stand right in front of the sculptor. "You see, this is all about you little Deidara. You see, I suspect a spy in my mix. Perhaps an entire gang. And if I have a spy leaking all my delicate plans out to whoever, things wont be as fun. Now of course I have a back up. But if I don't kill Itazura myself, all those lovely fellows in those gangs won't trust me as much as they should. Which will make it increasingly harder to win over our precious Sasori. So do you know what you're going to do?"

Deidara was blank for a second, but then snapped back to look at the man before him. "Hn? Sorry. I zoned out by thinking of all they ways to kill you after you said 'our lovely redhead', un."

Uragirimono sighed. "Oh, where's your spirit?" The white haired man drew back a fist and created a solid impact with Deidara's stomach, making his chair fly and hit the wall behind him, his head slammed against the stone. The wooden chair fell over with a smash and the blonde coughed up blood and spit as he choked on the ground. In a second, the man was standing over him again, a distasteful frown on his face.

"Whether it be from starvation, dehydration, or my visits, you will tell me who the traitor is in my mix. And the longer you withhold the information, the worse it will become. Now, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Deidara panted, drool and tears of pain soaking his face. Finally, he spoke through the ache.

"Go to hell, un…"

A kick came to his cheek, a groan coming from his throat.

"Not before you."

DAY 36 - MONDAY - 12:49 P.M.

Sasori was the perfect prisoner. He had no human needs such as food or water, nor did he need to use the facilities. He was calm and thought rationally, so he knew he could not escape easily.

Akasuna Sasori was trapped, his sanity ready to shatter.

This was not him. Never in his entire existence would he have imagined himself ready to explode all because of one single brat. The only problem being, he was in love with the stupid little twerp.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, his hand shaking. His mind had become merciless with the possibilities of his lover. Everything from being shredded to bloody a pulp in a dumpster, to being tortured by someone; just to see how many pieces Deidara could be cut into before his death finally came.

The redhead paced often, almost wishing he had a poison that could knock himself out, so this thoughts could not taunt him. But he would never do that. Just as he would never kill himself. Because that was what cowards do in their final moments. And Akasuna Sasori was no coward.

Something strange happened an hour or two later. A knock came from his closet.

At first the puppeteer thought something had just fallen down, and so he ignored it, but when the sound repeated itself, almost urgently, he crossed his room to the door and opened it.

And to his marvelous astonishment, Kikaito was standing in his closet, a dark doorway behind him.

"Come."

Sasori nodded. It seemed he had an ally after all.

He entered the dark space, the baritone blonde soon shutting their entrance behind them. The darkness swallowed and entrapped the two men, but it didn't quite feel right. Almost as if the space they were in was not to be trusted.

"You can turn on the light now, Teto," Kikaito spoke quickly and quietly, the worry in his voice being the easiest thing to notice. But a candle flickered to life, and Sasori could see a girl was with them. She had red/pinkish hair and ruby eyes, and along with this, was currently wearing a Roman style dress. It was flowing and white and hung on her shoulders loosely. She looked very young with a bright happiness, yet so sober for the moment at hand.

"Sasori," Kikaito started. "This is Teto. She is an Utauloid, and I have asked her to guild you through these tunnels. I wish I could join you, but Meiko would become to suspicious since I have known you longer than the rest."

"I understand." Sasori nodded.

"Best of luck, to you and Deidara. Teto, you know what to do."

The girl smiled. "Yup! Follow me, Sasori-san."

And so he did. He followed the girl, now no longer feeling helpless. She took him through the endless tunnels; the redhead now understanding why the Kyoko had picked the building. He could tell the passages were meant for quick escapes, and that the building must have been built especially for a shelter or such. Clever.

"Excuse me?" Teto looked back to him after a certain time. "Do you mind if I sing? I was supposed to be singing tonight at an orphanage, but once I got such a distressful call from Kaito, I had Ritsu cover for me."

"Kaito called you?" This interested him. Kaito was the closest person to Meiko, so he guessed that the blue haired man would be the last one to disobey her orders.

Teto giggled. "I know, strange, right? But I guess this Deidara boy must be really liked for everyone to go against Meiko. I heard you two have actually caused quite a stir around town."

"Hn."

"So do you mind if I sing? I'll even sing something really calm."

"Feel to do as you please."

The girl giggled again. But then went deathly quiet for a few minutes to become more tranquil. Then she started to sing the most beautiful song Sasori had ever heard…

"Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam,  
Et lingua eius loquetur indicium.

Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem,  
Quoniqm cum probates fuerit accipient coronam vitae.

Kyrie~, fons bonitatis.  
Kyrie~, ignis divine, eleison.

O quam sancta, quam serena,  
Quam benigma, quam amoena esse Virgo creditur.  
O quam sancta, quam serena,  
Quam benigma, quam amoena,  
O castitatis lilium~.

Ahaha~ Ahahaa~ Ahaha~ Ahahaa~ Ahahaha~ Ah~ Ahahahaa~

Kyrie~, fons bonitatis.  
Kyrie~, ignis divine, eleison.

O quam sancta, quam serena,  
Quam benigma, quam amoena,  
O castitatis lilium."

Teto became quiet as Sasori moved beside her with respect. For having a less advanced voice than the Kyoko, she sung beautifully and pronounced the foreign language with a smooth tongue.

She had gained his trust with one song.

"That was magnificent. Do you mind telling me what that was called?"

Teto smiled. "It's called Lilium. The song is in Latin."

"I see…"

There was silence between the two as they walked down the dark passage. But soon she broke it with a quiet whisper.

"You know why Meiko didn't want you going after this Deidara, don't you? So you don't bring enemies back to their home?"

"I understand her reasoning, but even then I would of figured out some way to get to Deidara."

"Ah, so Gakupo was right… When I first got the call, Kaito really couldn't persuade me that fast, but then he put Gakupo on the line and he said that if you didn't get out to find this Deidara, you might go insane and kill everyone in the building," she giggled.

Sasori stayed quiet.

"Sorry, was that an over-exaggeration?"

"… More like an under-exaggeration."

She looked at him with worried eyes. But with a small shaky voice, she spit out want she wanted to say.

"Meiko has her heart in the right place… and she has been the mother of that crazy bunch for years so… I want to ask you, if you succeed in getting your friend back… don't go back to the Kyoko. Please…"

"You had no reason to say such an obvious things."

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

Imagine your tongue dry like sandpaper and threatening to split open. Imagine your stomach filling with gasses and stretching to extents prone to serious pain. This was what Deidara was feeling. On top of this, there were welts and bruises painting his skin, and they pulsed more then his heart beat. The young artist also thought his legs were broken from the metal bat that struck them a visit or two ago.

But what was probably worse of all, was that his body hurt with every breath he took.

So now he waited in anticipation, for the door was opening up with a smiling Uragirimono, his hand hiding something behind his back.

"I've visited you five times already little Deidara, now are you sure you don't want to tell me anything before I get serious?"

"I actually have plenty things to say this time, un."

"Really?"

"Un. Well, getting past the plain as day things such as you're a bastard, I also have a question, un."

The gold eyed man hummed. "Alright. I've been asking you questions all this time, so lets see what you have to ask me."

Deidara smirked. "Do you like art?"

"Art?" Uragirimono slapped his knee and laughed with a roar. "Why would I care about such a stupid thing? Its nothing but pretty pictures made with simple lines that people like to look at. Why would I like such a trivial thing?"

The young blonde stared at the man before him, almost surprised. But then his grin returned. "I was right. Sasori would hate you, un. I mean, I know his art is completely wrong and all, but at least I respect it, un. Now you, being completely an ass and having no regard for one of the most important things to him… he wouldn't be able to stand you, un."

The man was quiet for a while, a grimace taking his face. "I think I've heard enough of you today, Deidara."

Before he knew what was happening, his mouth was stuffed and covered by a piece of cloth. Uragirimono then showed the device he had behind his back. It was big like hedge trimmers, but instead of giant scissors at the end, it had large curved blades that formed a small circle when closed.

At first he didn't understand the device's purpose. But then, when that cat like smile came and the man in front of him made the blades hover around his upper arm, his eyes widened. With horror, he watched the blades enclose his arm, and start to cut it from three hundred and sixty degrees around.

He screamed. His eyes watered and all the other pain he received by lack of his physical needs seemed to be nothing compared to this. His cries were muffled as he felt the blades go past his skin and on to tear his muscles as blood poured and stained his arm. His body started to shake and he knew the man was laughing, but he couldn't hear past his rushing heart and hoarse yells. Then the blades met his bones. The metal jerked and twisted around his bleeding tissue, but the marrow wouldn't give, so the device retreated as the blood ran like a waterfall down his arm. Deidara swore that his muscles and skin could of slunk right off of him, and just peel on to the floor to lay like a human glove. Why it didn't do such a thing, he never knew. But the pain didn't stop. He still cried to the point he couldn't breathe because of the cloth in his mouth. He couldn't get enough of the stale air in the room. It was then Deidara realized something.

He was going to die. He really was going to die. Either from abuse or loss of blood, or maybe even from just to much grief; he was going to die.

"Oh my, my Deidara. Did that not hurt enough? I know you used to be a little emo _punk_, so I guess this wasn't nearly sufficient enough compared your wrist cutting. Don't worry though, I'll go slower this time."

Deidara watched the blades encircle his other arm, to engulfed in his thoughts to even realize the pain once again. His mind being set on Sasori. Was the elder being tortured as such? Or was he spared and free? Was he looking for him? Was he confined?

Was his Danna alive?

New tears streaked his face now. Not tears of pain or misery, but of his heart calling out for the redhead.

'I love you.'

That was the phrase he wanted to say right then. He also wanted to hear it. He wanted to be held by those slender arms. He wanted to be looked at with those brown eyes that were so distant, but seemed to hold a softness only meant for him. Deidara didn't mind being dressed like a girl, it was only his Danna's way of teasing him. He loved the real smiles that was so rare, but was amazing to see. But if he could have one wish at that moment, it would be to get maybe one kiss from the elder. Just as a last memory.

So as the blades once again hit his bones and made a blood river of his arm, he did not cry out because of the pain.

It was because he knew would not get even a glimpse of his lover before he died.

DAY 37 - TUESDAY - 11:12 P.M.

Sasori had been up and moving across the city all day. He had to keep his appearance hidden and his movements swift. The puppeteer had moved through the alleys and back streets the entire way just so he could reach his destination.

The fifty-third floor of the Communications building.

He entered the building with his old keys and took the elevator. The door opened and he saw his old co-workers, and fellow mercenaries, staring at him.

"I hope you two are good to your word. Because you're helping me whether you like it or not."

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

Deidara took in a heavy breath. And another one. And another one.

The only thing that was keeping him alive right now was making sure he was manually breathing as much as he could.

He was used to it now, the timing of Uragirimono. He knew that man was going to walk through that door any second, to visit him. But the visits were no longer about information, it was just about getting pleasure from his pain. That's all it was now.

He knew.

"Deidara."

The blonde looked up to see a blank face this time instead of a grin or frown. But yet again, the gold eyed man was holding something behind his back.

"I never wanted it to come to this… I would ask if you had something to say but… I'm pretty sure I know what you're thinking."

"Actually… No, you don't, un," he gave a smile, a tired smile, but one none the less.

"Is there something new you'd like to share?"

"New to you."

"Well, by all means, share."

"Its nothing much, un… I'm just thinking of… an explosion and its beauty, un. The… build up of its power, the destruction it causes after so much stress. The layers of color going from pure white to the deepest red. To then turn to smoke and embers, un… to die out. True art, un…"

"That's a pathetic thought."

Weakly, Deidara chuckled. "This coming from the most pathetic man in the city, hn? Well that's just something."

He was slapped like a bitch after that last statement, but the blonde didn't care. The only little enjoyment he got now was pissing the man before him off.

"I never wanted to go this far on someone so not worth my time. But then again…" Uragirimono showed a needle from behind his back. "I think I'm going to be enjoying this now."

The white haired man's hand whipped out and held his head while his thumb was holding up his left eyelid. The needle started to get closer, slowly, and it was horrifyingly to easy to understand it's target.

His eye.

Deidara started to shake and move furiously, but the man's hold was to tight.

"_SASORI NO DANNA!_"

He yelled with his trust breaking, the needle piercing his eye. But instead of taking the pain like he had done like last time… he blacked out.

Hoping he would never awaken.

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

"Let me die…"

The gray blurred into nothing.

"Let me die…"

The artificial light desensitized him.

"Let me die…"

There was nothing to describe the anguish and pain his body was putting him through.

"Let me die…"

There was no mercy in the world.

"Let me die…"

He was broken.

Deidara repeated his words over and over again, his body leaning down to face his lap that was covered in spit, blood and tears. It was just to much…

"Let me die…"

He heard the door open. The blonde did not look up. He only repeated his words.

"Let me die…"

The footsteps came closer to stop right in front of him. Deidara pleaded his wish.

"Let me die…"

The man kneeled down in front of him. His chin was lifted to stare into cold eyes.

Deidara whimpered.

"Danna…"

The brown eyes bat at him as the redhead took in the sight of his lover as tears choked themselves out of the blonde. Sasori untied the rope around the paled wrists and ankles and then let the younger fall on him. The two artists laid on the floor, the elder holding onto his other half with tight arms as tears hit his neck.

"I'm so sorry…" Sasori whispered. "I'm being selfish and holding you, probably causing you more pain."

"No, un," Deidara breathed out. "You're killing me with love. At least I know…" small sobs interrupted his weak voice, but somehow he coughed out the last words he would be satisfied to end his life with.

"I love you."

Sasori buckled and held his dieing lover tighter.

"I love you too." He kissed the pale salty lips quickly, to then see the smallest twitch upwards in the next second.

"I'm… going to die happy… un."

"No," The puppeteer picked the weightless teen in his arms. "You are not going to die. I'm going to take you to a place where someone I trust will bring your strength back and return your health." He started to walk towards the door.

Deidara smiled.

"It wont matter either way. Dieing in Danna's arms is the best death I could ever ask for, un…"


	23. Awaken to Return

**Disclaimer: No Own tomato**

**A/N: Yeah, about this A/N... When I was editing this chap like I have been for a while, I forgot the A/N and now I'm just putting this in... So this chapter now holds the record of my shortest rant! :D *shot for being an idiot* ... I deserve that...**

**From a dead brain author -**

**Teiden~**

DAY ? - TIME ?:?

_Some lie in Fear~_

_Some lie to Judge~_

_But the worst of all,_

_Is when one lies to forget!_

_And looks away to what is to come~_

Deidara was still in darkness, the song repeating and repeating hauntingly in the empty space he inhabited. Deidara wanted to leave this place. It was cold and void of any other existence besides him. The blonde didn't know how long he had been there, but the last thing he remembered was the warmth of his Danna's embrace.

So did that mean he was dead?

The thought had crossed his mind constantly, but he still wasn't quite sure. There was an occasional whisper that would reach him sometimes, the speaker being unknown. But there was a hope inside of him. A hope that weakly wished that it was Sasori he was hearing. And if true, that made him hold onto life.

If he still had any.

So he waited. For another whisper. A touch. A breath. A sign to show there was hope for him.

DAY 45 - WEDNESDAY - 5:43 A.M.

Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep…

Sasori sat in a wooden chair just as he had been doing for the past six days. Kakuzu had already threatened to take Deidara off the machines twice already, complaining that it was costing him to much money. But when the redhead assured the larger man that he would be repaid in full, it only took him a hint of interest to get him to agree.

And so he painfully waited for his nightmare to end.

"Sasori…"

"Leave, Kisame." He spoke coldly, not even wanting to see his blue friend.

"Ya gotta know by now the kid doesn't have a good chance of waken up. Its just been to long…"

"Kisame, I asked you to exit politely, now I would gladly like to see you do so."

"I'm only thinkin' of what's best for ya. I don't want you getting your hopes up on someone who doesn't have a chance of coming back."

"Go away…" His voice was raising now, threatening to shout.

"But maybe you should start thinking about-"

"Kisame!"

He finally yelled, his stress spilling. The puppeteer knew this wasn't like him, he could see it in his own eyes that he was changing because of the youth. But… then again…

"Fuck it!" Sasori stood, his anger burning holes through the larger man. "Kisame, get the hell out of this god damn room before your scales turn to wood!"

The shark man gapped and took a step back. The puppet master was not someone he wanted to create a grudge with. But considering the rawness of his mind currently being displayed, the blue man could tell he was minutes away from death if the petit man was not calmed.

"Sasori, now don't be rash! Think of-"

"Danna…"

Stillness. Quiet.

Wide eyes of shock.

Sasori snapped to the voice, his heart not able to take much more. But there was a sliver of blue on a weak angel and he wasn't sure what to do.

"Danna, un…"

"I'll get Kakuzu!" Kisame fled the room, and it was noted in the deepest recesses of Sasori's mind. But he wasn't focusing on the other man's disappearance. He was watching, his breath held, praying that those eyes would open once again.

"…Sasori…"

The redhead grabbed the pale hand that had twitching fingers.

"Deidara…! Dei," his voice softened. "I'm here."

The blue eyes peeked behind their lids, Sasori's heart lurching. The weak lips smiled.

"Hey Danna, un…"

Akasuna Sasori broke down, his strange insane mind not able to take it all at once. He grabbed the other's chin and brought his lips down in a forceful kiss, the only thing registering after that was Deidara being alive.

Deidara felt as if he was flooded. His arms and legs were weighed by lead and his chest was numb with slow breaths that were shallow and slow. But he was breathing, and he could finally see Sasori again. Most importantly though, he was alive…

He was alive.

"Danna!"

Full realization hit the blonde like a punch to the gut. He _wasn't_ dead. He _was _breathing. No, wait… The hell he was! He was kissing his Danna!

A hand came around to pull him up further into the kiss. Deidara fully appreciated that hand since his body wasn't fully ready to move, but he moved his lips that were starved, each smack creating a new burn from a fire he could now say he was addicted to. The warmth of two mixing heats, currently unbalanced, was now starting to blend. Their tongues coming out to play, and the toxics of saliva brewing poison. It would seem the two artists were bloodthirsty for contact.

"Ahem!" a gruff cough made the younger growl, Sasori chuckling at the interaction.

"Brat," he said, his eyes darting over to the doorway with a playful gleam. "Meet my associates. Kakuzu, Kisame, meet my brat."

"Danna." Deidara threatened with a low voice, but greeted the other two men all the same. His responses being a nod of the head from the man named Kakuzu, and a pointed grin from the one named Kisame.

"Welcome back to the living, Deidara."

DAY 48 - FRIDAY - 7:48 P.M.

Fuck. Ever felt like hell, and you couldn't do shit about it, because you felt like hell?

Well, that's what Deidara felt like. He was confined to a bed for the third day in a row, his injuries healing in their own damn time. And though he wanted to run out of the shared condo between Kisame and Kakuzu, truth be told he was scared shitless of the tan man. But who could blame him? The guy was huge! Plus he was the one that gave the blonde his medication, and he definitely didn't want the wrong thing running through his veins.

And so he sat in the bed propped up, messing with his clay and trying not to strain his new arms. Though, he didn't think his injuries were that serious, they were achingly annoying. He had a fractured bone along his right leg that was taking it's sweet old time getting better, and itching in the process. Along with this, when they found him, he had no food in his system to properly recover, with almost no water to speak of. On top of that, he was bleeding profusely internally. So in all his rights, he should be dead. Why he wasn't? The blonde wasn't sure, expect maybe for the fact he was too stubborn to die because of that bastard Uragirimono. And since the man had almost cost him his arms, he was ready to stab those gold eyes to a bloody pulp.

Deidara remembered thinking after his torture was served, that he thought his flesh could slide off his bone and lay to rot on the cement. And ironically, he had gotten as close as he could get to that statement as any breathing human could. Since he had no food to have any energy, he had nothing in his body to scab over the deep cuts in his arms. So the

skin and muscle started to decay.

Disgusting, he knew. But thanks to Kakuzu, he could still use his arms. The man had given faulty muscle that his skin was starting to attach to. And though the ugly tissue was held together by thick black stitches, the mask covered man said his nerves were reacting well to it and that his arms should be functioning on their own with only a little bit of pain that would go away with time.

But, despite the kindness and patience of the three men around him, he had yet to tell anyone about his eye. Not wanting to seem weak.

Because he knew he was blind.

Luck had graced him though. The eye the white haired sadist had destroyed was always covered by his hair. So as long as he didn't show any real signs of having the disability, he'd be fine.

So the only thing left to worry about, was his dreams.

They were always pitch black, and he always alone. The high pitched voice of a familiar voice echoing continuously…

_Some lie in Fear~_

_Some lie to Judge~_

_But the worst of all,_

_Is when one lies to forget!_

_And looks away to what is to come~_

Deidara shivered. He knew that voice, he had heard it before. He just couldn't place it. If only he could hear it outside of his dreams, he thought. Then he _knew _he would be able to place it.

But other wise, no…

DAY 53 - WEDNESDAY - 12:52 A.M.

"Deidara, if I have to tell you one more time…"

"Wow Sasori. Never thought you couldn't keep someone in bed."

"Shut it Kisame, un!"

"Brat, I swear if you don't get back in that room and lay down, you'll have to deal with Kakuzu when he gets back."

"I'm fine Danna, un."

"Brat."

"Danna."

Kisame watched helplessly in the kitchen of the condo they all were sharing; not sure what to do about the two challenging artists. In fact, he wasn't sure what to do about the either of them. Deidara wasn't nearly what he expected. Usually when he thought of Sasori's regular, from what he heard, he pictured a small little whiner that only talked when they had a sarcastic comment to cover their depressed mood. When really, the teen was stubborn with a decent nature to him. Sure he spaced out a little more than a normal person, but still seemed well enough to bug the redhead.

Then there was Sasori. For as long as the shark man had known the puppeteer (which was a few years now), he was always serious, distant, and minded his own business. But now that the sculptor had appeared, Sasori seemed to actually show a little more of his true colors. The elder would constantly nag the younger, a care he had never shown before. And then there was the tenderness the blue man sometimes was able to catch between the two. Though he knew the artists were careful not to show to much affection or to even get physical because of the blonde's condition. But there always were a few moments he got a glimpse of. Like in the first few days of Deidara's awakening, the redhead would bring him something to snack on; there would always a little smile on his lips. Or when the younger needed a bath; to this very moment Kisame wondered how the blonde had managed to get Sasori into the tub with him.

But then there was a really rare moment the shark man caught that he never would of dreamed he'd see. It was the other night, and Sasori was just saying goodnight to the tired figure of Deidara. And just when the blue man was coming to see what was taking so long, he saw Sasori give the blonde a kiss. Now it wasn't exactly a surprise to him that the redhead had given the other a kiss, after all, the first impression he got of the two artists together was a tongue filled make-out. But it was the little smile that was on the pale lips, and the softness of the brown eyes. And if that didn't shock anyone that knew Sasori, Kisame didn't know what would.

Though… if you looked at the two artists at the moment… you wouldn't be able to find a hint of that kindness. Because, the large blue man didn't even know how they managed to accomplish this, but now they were arguing about _art_. Which he took absolutely no interest in…

"For the last time, true, perfect art is fleeting, un. Leaving you with only a memory of what once was."

"No Deidara, that is the exact opposite of true art. It's ever lasting so all may see, not just to remember it's beauty. True art is something that is made to last."

"But that's boring, Danna, un! People would get sick of seeing something over and over again. That's why art is fleeting, like explosions. Its different every time, un."

"Tch, only a dim wit with an attention span of an ass would believe that."

"Enough!"

Three heads darted to the door way of the condo, Kakuzu standing with narrowed eyes.

"Kisame, why aren't you taking charge of them?" The stitch man asked.

"I'm thirty-two! The damn puppet is older than me and you expect me to yell at him or something like a kid?"

"Oh," Deidara smirked and let his mischievous stare go to the redhead. "That's right, Danna. You never did tell me how old you are, un."

Sasori sighed, all the while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not now Deidara."

"So you're older than Kisame… Hn, are you older than Kakuzu?"

"Tch, if your asking if I'm older than dirt, then no. I'm not older than Kakuzu."

"Hn? How old are you Kakuzu-san?"

"I'm not that old I'll have you know, I'm only ninety-one."

Deidara did a very comical spit take from the water he had been drinking, in the process making Sasori and Kisame snicker.

"Old as dirt? Your old as dust, un!"

The three men laughed, a slam of the fist being the only thing to stop the quiet chuckles. The large muscled man gave a rough sigh and decided to take control.

"Deidara, _get _back to bed. Kisame, I don't care about age, one of them is only nineteen and the other once looks like a fifteen year old."

"Kakuzu," Sasori threatened with a particle hiss.

"You know its true, and its your own damn fault, so don't complain. And if you still want us to help, you better tone it down with the hostility."

"… Pardon my rude behavior Kakuzu. I did not mean to cause either of you stress."

"Wait… un…"

"Aw, it's fine Sasori. Have'n you and Deidara around brightens things up, ya know?"

"Hold on, un."

"I should be thank you two though, since I never did properly."

"You owe me more than a 'thank you'. But I'll total your owed amount tonight, interest included of course."

"… Of course," the redhead gave a strained smile. "Come on Deidara, lets get you back to the other room."

"But-but-"

"Brat."

"Hai, Sasori no Danna, un."

Deidara let himself be led across the condo and into his make shift room. But as soon as he was in the bed and covered up, he grabbed on to Sasori's arm.

"They're helping?"

The redhead sat down in the wooden chair by the plain bed, his stare fixed and blank, as it always was. But by now, this was starting to bug Deidara. He never could tell what the other was thinking, whether it be good or bad. It was all equally irritating.

"I asked them to."

"Hn? And you think that's smart why?"

"They're more skilled than you think Deidara."

"But what about me, un!"

There was a silence. It was confusing and swallowing, and completely fit for the strange statement the younger made…

"What?"

"Don't I get to pick someone to help us?"

Again with the quiet.

"Deidara, please tell me you're not serious."

"_Yes _Danna, I am, un."

"Brat. You don't even know anyone that could even help us in our situation. That is, unless you wanted to use them as target practice or a shield.

The blonde chuckled, fresh adrenaline running through his body as his mind conjured up two particular souls…

"Wanna bet?"

DAY 55 - FRIDAY - 6:53 P.M.

Sasori was out of place.

They were at the local university, walking through the halls after dinner, and the confined space of the way was packed with socializing twenty year olds. A football was being thrown back and forth in front of the redhead's face, Deidara walking a little ahead, caught it without a second glance from his right and threw it back to a thrower.

"Thanks man." Was what the rough bearded man gave Deidara, who in turn gave a half lidded nod.

The blonde was wearing black cargo pants with dark red vans. He was also wearing a long dark hoodie with vibrant red gashes in the back. But the shirt he wore was a black Cage the Elephant T-shirt with a blue and purple skull with the band's name along the side in white letters. And so, with his usual high ponytail placed on his head, Deidara looked like a normal teenager once again.

Now it wasn't that Sasori didn't know the other still was a teen, it was just that the redhead didn't see the younger in that light. Though Deidara was a brat, the puppeteer could tell the blonde was mature for his age.

Considering what he had been through up 'til this point, that is.

"This is it, un."

Deidara stopped in front a wooden door with a small white board on it, dried blood seeming to be staining it… The blonde knocked quickly and then entered without waiting for the door to open. But as soon as the other was two feet in, he was tackled by a figure from above.

"Blondie!" The figure yelled as they held onto Deidara's shoulders and neck, in the process, choking the sculptor. "What'cha ya doin' here emo ass? It's rare as Itachi getting laid by a bitch for you to visit us."

The blonde threw the figure off his shoulders to show a silver haired man with violet eyes. "Nice… to see you too, Hidan… un." He panted while rubbing his sore throat that had been gripped a little too rough. "Where's Itachi, un?"

"Over there," Hidan pointed across the room, to a much cleaner side he might add, to see the raven haired man on his bed. "He's just reading another dumbass book."

Deidara looked over to the other side of the room to see that this was true. An annoyed look taking his expression at the sight. "Hey bastard, un."

"Deidara," the other replied without looking up.

The blonde let out a rough sigh with a bland expression.

Really? These two hadn't changed a damn bit…

"Come on in Danna, un. Just try not to kill'um."

Sasori entered slowly with observant eyes and a blank stare. The room seemed divided. On the side he entered on, it was a mess of tossed clothes, band posters, a rack of knives with other such tools along the wall, and even blood stains on the floor. But the thing that really caught ones attention was the fact that there was a certain object nailed to the wall, still dripping red. Though the other side was exact polar opposite. It was neat with not a thing on the floor. There was also two large shelves filled with books and a desk with a file of papers and folders.

So it really wasn't that hard for the redhead to grasp how differing the two roommates were…

Upon his entrance though, the one named Itachi looked up at him, a hint of distress passing over his cold eyes.

"Shut the door behind you."

Sasori's eyes narrowed just the most invisible bit, but did as asked seeing as he was a guest. He could see why Deidara had called the man a bastard.

"So," Hidan went to sit on his bed. "Why the visit Blondie? Tired of being a heathen so you want to convert? Or did ya just want too get some back up on killin' your shit ass mommy?"

Deidara almost choked on his spit when he heard that.

"Hidan, you…?"

"Deidara," Itachi spoke now. "Though some college students are not actually from this city, we are. Another thing being most don't pay attention to current events, but we notice ones so locally every day."

"Yeah. So when your bitch ass mommy's mansion of a house blew up, it wasn't hard to tell it was your work." The silver haired man snickered.

"But you wouldn't be able to do it yourself," Itachi continued. "So I'm guessing the man that is with you is the mercenary that helped you. And after all the bodies that were found; burned none the less, there were some with bullet holes and some brutally chopped to bits… And to tell the truth, I don't appreciate you bring a killer into our living space."

"Whoa now. That last part is Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass's. I'm totally cool with your little buddy though. How old is he? Fourteen? Fifteen?"

Sasori felt an eyebrow twitch as he leaned up against the door, a growl about to break from his throat. "Shut it you runts. I'm probably older than the two of you combined."

"Hn?" Deidara grinned. "So your over forty years old Danna? If I was any younger, you could be a professional pedophile, un."

"Brat…" The redhead hissed, but the two men on their separate beds were staring with their own looks of shock.

"Blondie… You're a faggot?" The violet man's jaw about fell off.

"Hidan," dark eyes glared from across the room.

"Fine… ah? Queer?"

"_Hidan_."

"Alright! You're gay! So what? Its just a shock since you always had that bitch hangin' off ya."

"Oh yeah," Deidara's grin was wicked. "Do you still want to sacrifice her, un?"

"Hell yes!"

"Brat."

Sasori's voice rose and the three pair of eyes turned to him. Itachi's perfectly blank. Hidan's slightly confused. And Deidara's strained in a way it would seem, for he had to turn his head completely. "Are you going to tell me why we came all this way just to see these pathetic college students?"

"Pathetic?"

"I guess, un." The blonde took a deep breath and scanned the room quickly. He then crossed the space to point at the dripping carcass on the wall. "Hidan what is… -I mean, what _was _this, un?"

The violet eyed man smiled. "It was that Jashin damned bird that _used _to chirp outside our window at fucking four in the morning."

"And what did you do to it?" The sculptor inquired further.

"I sacrificed it to Jashin-sama of course!"

"And how does no one find out about your sacrifices, hn?"

"You know. Itachi does all his eye shit and people just think whatever he tells them to think. Which is damn annoying since the last time he tricked our neighbors into thinking I was having a tea party. Bloody embarrassing is what it is…"

Deidara nodded, a grin almost taking his lips as he went and stood beside Sasori again, only this time he was along the wall that Hidan's bed was against. "Do you see where I'm going with this Danna, un?"

"Yes," the brown eyes slimmed. "And you have no point Deidara. One of them is stab happy for religious purposes, and the other can do a few tricks. They would be of no used to us."

"That's where your wrong Danna. Itachi is an Uchiha, un. His eyes are genetically enhanced by his mind, meaning if anyone is in range and looks at his eye's, his advanced brain waves will put them under a high rank hypnosis state to where he can control their brain on a physic level. So they have to do whatever he bids, or he can even make them feel pain. So in other words, he can make a large group of people suffer, un."

"Impressive." Sasori eyes went back to the raven haired man, who had by now gone back to reading his book. "Uchiha. That's a powerful in the world…" he waited to see if he got a response. And when none was given, he continued. "The Uchiha family was actually very resourceful with massive corporations and industry all over the world. They indeed also had a strong say in this countries politics, even though they were from Japan." Again he waited. Again no response was given. "I believe it was eight years ago, that on a quiet night, the entire mass of the family was murdered. With the exception of two…" dark eyes shot up and glared at him now. The room was quiet as the other two men listened to Sasori's abiding words. "The two sons of the eldest Uchiha brother that looked after most of the family's business. The youngest brother was found the next day. He claimed to say that his older brother had killed all of them. But the older brother had disappeared… Now of course there are more details. And it would be rare for someone in a country this far west of Japan to hear of this story."

"What are you saying?" Itachi finally interrupted, his glare hateful and cold.

"Absolutely nothing," Sasori smirked. "After all, who am I to judge a peer of skill?"

The room stilled as Itachi analyzed his situation it seemed. He studied the redhead with dreamy relaxed eyes, to them come up with an idea.

"What is your name? No aliases." The raven hair asked.

The brown eyes kept blank as they challenged the other's. But he could tell, no matter how young this youth was, he was strong. And so he gave. "… Akasuna Sasori of the Red Sand."

Light of realization come to Itachi then, him now placing his book down finally in his lap.

"Better known as the Red Scorpion. An infamous puppeteer that works for 'art', rather than pay. It is said that you work under a leader who looks to gain something of peace, and that his group is small but powerful. Yet no one knows the true identities of those who belong under his reign, for there are only rumors… But…" Itachi's words started to slow. By this point, Hidan and Deidara with their short attention spans had almost lost interest. That is until Sasori took the inactive and spoke before the other could.

"You would be honored to help me?"

"Really Danna, un! You let them help?" Deidara smiled and grabbed the redhead's hand, his excitement rising.

"Just Itachi. I see no reason to have a religious psychopath that takes pain for pleasure in a fight where people that will be dieing. Besides, Kakuzu will already be yelling at me for stealing his car to drive here."

"Did ya just say Kakuzu?" Hidan questioned now interested once again.

"Un. Why?"

"… No reason…"

"Hn…" Deidara turned back to Sasori, who raised an eyebrow in place. "I don't get it though Danna. I thought you liked to piss off Kakuzu, un."

Silence.

Talking through stares…

Sasori finally blinked.

"Alright. He can help, now can we leave?"

"Un. See you guys soon, okay? I'll call you and tell you what's happening with some more details."

"Thank you, Deidara," Itachi said, his eye's still on the redhead. "Hidan, would you mind escorting Deidara out of here? I would like to have a word with Sasori-san."

"Ah? Sure… Come on Blondie."

"Hn…" the younger artist let himself be pushed out the door, the puppeteer left alone with the raven hair.

A moment passed. Neither spoke. Now Sasori saw no reason as to why he had been asked to stay, but as he observed the other, he found the energy growing more tense. Finally…

"I would like to thank you."

"…" He stayed quiet for the other to continue.

"Deidara's brother was our friend from high school, and after he passed away along with his younger sister, Deidara really was left alone in the world. Hidan and I try to watch over him, but every time we visit, his mood was either bitter or solemn… Now I don't know the depth of the situation, but I can tell he is a great deal happier, almost back to his normal self I would say."

"Normal? What, and this whining, pathetic, hormonal side of him is just a phase of his?" Sasori snorted. "Of course."

"Actually, Deidara can be quite hot headed and is very smart. And since his intelligence is so high, I can understand why he was so frustrated when no teacher would grade his papers correctly."

"In what way is the brat intelligent?" Sasori asked more half hearted then he wanted, 'cause he truly was curious. He just never would admit it.

"He is quick witted. If you've ever seen him fight, he'll be able to spot the littlest things and trick the opponent easily. Even more so when he becomes sadistic."

"I see… Thank you for your kind words Itachi, I believe I will-"

"One more thing."

Sasori stopped his hand on the doorknob, his impatience growing.

"I again don't know how deep this goes into, but considering his injuries, I'm sure this goes a little farther than just gangs."

"You noticed his arms?"

"Arms?" Itachi raised an eyebrow. "I noticed he was cautious of his limbs, but I was talking about his eye."

The redhead stiffed. "What are you talking about?"

"You do not know? I believe it's his left eye. Of course I can't directly tell how bad his sight is because his bangs cover it, but I know its worsened a great deal. The way he had to turn his head fully to look at you. How he was trying to keep everything to the right of him. The signs are obvious. Now the fact being he has not told you about such a thing means-"

But Itachi stopped. Sasori had left the room with the slam of a door.

The elder artist was moving at an uncharacteristic speed down the hall, passing Hidan at the stairs. Out the glass doors and into the parking lot, he found the blonde leaning against the sleek black car with tinted windows.

Deidara looked up and only saw the other approaching, but not the pace he was approaching at. "Hey Danna, ar-" he was pushed up against the car. Hands taking his slim waist, and their bodies becoming close quickly, he became shocked, and so he didn't speak further. But soon one of the hands holding his hips came up and moved his bangs away to show his bad eye.

They both stilled then. Sasori stood, staring into the pale washed out blue with small red veins almost taking over the white. Deidara started to tremble, tears leaking. So he shut both his eyes, not ready to tell or accept the truth, but now it was known. So…

"I'm blind… Danna, un…" he held on to his voice as best as he could, just waiting for the cold voice of the elder to come to scold him, or even just to tell him to get into the car.

Neither came.

But a soft kiss, placed on his tight eyelid, did calm him. And then he peeked out from under them, to see soft dreamy brown eyes.

"Deidara," the elder brushed his bangs back further behind his ear. "Why didn't you tell me? Or Kakuzu even?"

"Th-the needle, un… He took it and… I passed out. It was too much, un. And-"

"Dei." Hands came up to caress his cheeks, making him look up slightly into the gentle face he loved. "You don't have to tell me." A kiss came to his lips, and the other's forehead leaned against his. "I already know you've been through so much. And I will do everything I can to make up to you." The hands left his face and went back to his slim waist, the redhead's lips taking his own as a familiar thigh slid between his legs. Their mouths moved slowly, just to let the intoxicating haze take over their thoughts. Warmth grew between their two touching chests, and their breaths came out in puffs. Though, even still, Deidara's tears had not stopped. And so he was pulled closer by his shoulders, as Sasori's kisses and bites came to his neck.

But heaven on earth can not stay.

They started to retreat, pants, light kisses and hickeys on the blonde's neck being the proof of their activity. Though as they caught their breath, a question popped into Deidara's head.

"Can I sit in your lap on the way back, un?"

There wasn't even a second of hesitation.

"No."

"Aww, Danna, un! How is that fair? Just because you'd get a boner doesn't mean-"

"Deidara. Get. In. The car." The redhead's lips were twitching down, his irritation being becoming easy to spot after the tender moment.

But instead of pouting, the younger gave a now repeating devil grin, and Sasori could just see the cat tail and ears on the younger now.

Hmm… Deidara… dressed as a kitty cat…

He'd have to remember that little idea for later.

"Alright Danna, I'll do as you say, un." The two artists got in the car, Sasori in the driver's seat and Deidara in passenger's. "But you have to give me some attention when we get back."

"No."

The blonde's look sank. "Why, hn? Last time wasn't bad or anything, was it, un?"

Sasori started up the engine, all the while resisting the urge to slap the other upside the head. "No, Deidara. That is not the reason. You do remember last time don't you? The after effects?"

"Hey! I was ready to go to stop after the third round, but you went for a forth, un!"

He pulled out of the college grounds and headed for the highway, the redhead again resisting the urge to hit the other. "It wouldn't matter either way. Your body isn't ready for such treatment. Rough or gentle."

"But-"

"Brat. I'm not fucking you 'til I know I'm not going to cause any more pain than usual. Understood?"

"Fine…"

Deidara then started to sulk, their ride being quiet. The blonde looked out the window of the darkened city, its heightened glow making it almost pleasant. But as Sasori slowed for a stoplight, his phone started to ring. Now usually, the puppeteer wouldn't answer the device while he was driving, especially since it could be Kakuzu wondering where his car was. But he was waiting for the light to change and he didn't want to keep the person on the other end waiting to talk to him if it was an emergency. So he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Sas-Sasori! I-its Miku! She… She…! Luka and some-someone and then there was a CALL and then she ran off and now Gumi can't find Gakupo and there's to much! Just to much!"

"Meiko? What about Miku? Where is she?"

"Sh-she went and then-"

"Calm down. Now tell me again, slowly."

Sasori listened carefully, while Deidara, curious at his side, could only able to hear parts of the conversation. But after a while, the blonde could feel the tension of how drastic the situation must be. All because of the elder's blank expression, but serious determined eyes. Soon the phone was snapped shut and Sasori hit the gas pedal, not even waiting for the light to change.

"Danna? What's going on, hn? What upset Meiko so much?"

"Not sure how your gonna take this Deidara, but it looks like your going to be seeing your captor sooner than expected."

The redhead turned a sharp corner to where the younger had to grab on to the seat, a wicked grin taking his features.

"Hn? Sounds like fun. Lets just be sure to make a few stops on the way, un."


	24. Weeping Hearts

**DISCLAMINER: I don't own anything but listen, my story traffic thing has been on the fritz and so I basically have no hits for the past TWO chapters. So every time I get a review, its almost like a little internet ghost is reviewin' my story.**

**A/N: And call me a review or hitwhore if you must, but I like to know you guys are there. And this is a VERY BIG CHAPTER, so show me your out and about, please? **

**And to let you know~, I love it when people threaten me. Gets me excited and can sometimes turn me into a little sadist. So by all means, threaten, yell, swear to find me and hold a gun to my head, or just swear and curse plain. **

**So after you read this chapter, BY ALL MEANS, tell me what ya think. ;]**

**Miku's Song (this one is really kinda heavy metal/ hard rock type):**

**http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=VyVmxmtVVGI**

DAY 56 – SATURDAY – 1:01 A.M.

Miku planted her foot on the cold, wet pavement with a dry gulp of spit running down her sore throat. She was here, right in front of the abandoned factory where that man was, where Luka was.

She had to be brave.

Even though she was terrified for her life, for everyone's in the Kyoko, and for Luka's… She would be brave. Even if she died this night, she would be content seeing Luka again, just one last time. Just to say the words that had been eating her up inside…

The teal haired girl felt the guitar slung over her back. It gave her confidence, just because their Master had given it to her before he went missing, and this instrument was special too. This guitar was almost as long as she was tall, plus it was three inches thick and had built in amps that synced up to her vocal synthesizer so it amplified her voice along with the chords. But the best feature that made her feel strong… though she had never told anyone about it, just incase…

"Alright Miku…" she said to herself. "Take a deep breath. This is where all the leeks, bananas and oranges, sake, and ice cream stop. Master would of wanted us all together, and if I cant even keep his last wish, and bring Luka back… I might as well be dead…"

She stepped forward, the wet pebbles under her feet cracking.

She would bring Luka back tonight, even if it meant her own life.

1:21 A.M.

"You gotta drive faster Danna!"

"Brat, I don't think crashing Kisame's truck will do us any good."

"But Miku could be dead if we don't hurry, un!"

"Deidara if you don't shut your god damn mouth-!"

"If I remember correctly, you're the one that asked for our help, Meiko, un."

"No! I asked for Sasori's help, not his whiny little whipped bitch that gets captured as easy as a pussy!"

"Meiko, now calm down sweetie."

"Shut up Cherry, I'm not in the best mood for you either!"

"Danna? I'm not whipped, am I, un?"

"Unfortunately, no, you're not whipped… yet."

"Danna!"

The four of these very… different people were all in Kisame's rusting pick up truck, now driving to the less pleasing side of town.

"Hey Cherry, where's Meme, hn? I thought you took her everywhere."

"I put her to bed at eight like I always do. I didn't see any reason to wake her up take her to a place so dangerous anyway."

"Come on blondie, don't you have any common sense?" Meiko hissed.

"Shut it, un."

"Deidara."

"What? Oh… sorry… Danna, un…"

Sasori stared at him for a second, seeming in thought. But soon enough, he blinked, his gaze returning forward. "We're here."

All heads turned to look at the old factory. It was two stories with shattered glass windows along the top. The brick was old and crumbling, yet still held together. The building had been cleared of all machinery supposedly and was nothing but a hollow shell of what once an old link in an industry chain. But now it held one person of innocence, one of sin, and one yet to be proven guilty. And though this building stood tall currently, Sasori could already see the blood bath leaking from the walls, the possible premature deaths already flooding his mind.

Before an eye could blink, Meiko ran out of the back seat of the truck, and straight for the building.

"Meiko!" Cherry jumped out of the truck following in pursuit as the other girl that went straight for the front door.

Sasori sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was not going to go well if they couldn't control their emotions…

"Deidara, do you have your pistol, clay, and the walkie-talkies I gave you?"

"Hell yeah, un!" The blonde pat the pouches at this waist, the gun holster hanging off the right bag that was weighed with substance. And of course the walkie-talkies that were not meant for conversation.

"Good."

"You gonna be using Hiruko, hn?"

Sasori smirked and twitched his fingers, watching the steel tail come around from the back of truck and enter Deidara's open window. The already impish younger sensed its presence, and so a tan hand was placed on the outside of the spade. Fingers twitched again, the cold tail came and up placed itself flat against the smooth skin of his regular's neck and cheek, as if caressing it.

"Deidara, if you get killed, I won't forgive you." Though his face was blank, the blonde could see the worry clearly in the other's eyes.

"Don't worry Danna, if I was too stubborn to die in that bastard's hands before, I don't think he'll be able to kick my bucket that easy, un."

"We'll see…"

1:35 A.M.

Miku wished she could cry.

Standing before her was the man named Uragirimono, and Luka, right at his side. And though the teal haired girl wasn't sure of her feelings, Luka was right there, before her very eyes.

Alive.

"We've been expecting you, Miku-chan~" The white haired man smirked. "But where are the others? I expected there to be more of you."

Her cheeks puffed out and her brows furrowed, the man already making her pout. "No! I'm not letting anyone in my family get hurt!"

"Not even a little bit of outside help?" The man's grin grew, his eye lacing with the bloodlust of a demon.

"No!"

His look flattened then, the grin turning to a frown of disappointment

"I see… Luka, take care of her. Her voice wont effect your ears like they would mine."

"But…" The pink haired girl looked down to Miku, the five long steps to the lower ground being the only thing separating them. "Uragirimono-sama…" Luka was whispering now, not wanting to fight the girl.

"Get rid of her, or I will call out my little girl. And she shows no mercy."

Luka's eyes widened, but nodded all the same.

The pink haired girl took the long five steps down and was now only fifteen meters away. While the two girls stared intensely at each other though, Uragirimono climbed the stairs to the top landing. With a wooden door behind him, he leaned over the metal railing and chains, waiting to for the fight to begin.

"Miku, please go," Luka whisper harshly.

"Not without you."

"Mi…"

"Come on, we can just run for it! There's one of him and two of us."

"I… I cant do that Mi. Please just leave…" she started to plead. "I cant hurt you. And I'm not going back. I've come this far and I'm going to get what I want from this man no matter what."

"Luka." Miku swung the guitar around, the large instrument and it's dark sleek figure becoming heavy yet supportive at the same time. "If you wont come freely, I'll take your unconscious body back.

The girl started to strum hard chords, the implanted amps rocking the air around them. But then she started to sing, her voice confident in the lyrics.

"To my exposed self in the rain of disappointment

You came close to me, saying that you loved me

And hugged me tightly

Like a miracle, the world shined light

I replied to hope and sacrificed everything

Your laughing, singing, and dancing marionette

You said you wanted it; where is that self now?

Pull, pull - by pulling those loose threads

I kissed your illusion.

Hug me, hug me - hug me until I break

If I break you can throw me away

Wavering with lies, you have no words to say

Your temperature is no longer here"

Miku strummed harder, her special voice not having any effect on Luka. So she switched the whammy bar, the true nature of the device awakening. The teal haired girl turned and pointed the head of the guitar towards the other girl, bullets firing out with every note strung.

Luka's eyes grew so wide they almost fell out of her head. And so now she dodged for her life, Miku following her every movement with the on coming bullets striking the ground and sending pieces of rubble into the air.

"To me who didn't have a reason to live

You showed me Joy, Happiness and Hope

The dark clouds that covered me are gone

The cloudy lens reflected the shimmering light

Love; the love-deprived marionette you wanted

You said you wanted it; where is that self now?

I can feel the heat through the long strings

I want to be one with you.

Pull me, pull me - pull me until I break

I want to feel your presence

I cant see your lie-soaked face

I cant remember your smile"

Miku's fingers moved without her knowing now, her eyes totally focused on striking the dodging Luka down with one of the bullets…

At which time, a stunned Meiko and Cherry ran in through the doors. They watched for a second, and the redhead of the two almost dove in between the two girls to interfere, but the brunette stopped her. Cherry wasn't one of them, and would fall into the dimensions of the song. And so they waited…

"Sadness is slowly building up

Love and hate for you is overflowing

Your laughing, singing, and dancing marionette

You said you wanted it; where is that self now?

Pull, pull - by pulling those loose threads

I hung to your illusion.

Hug me, hug me - hug me until I break

If I break you can throw me away

Wavering with lies, you have no words to say

You presence is no longer here."

Miku played out the song, the last few notes finally getting Luka in her upper arm and shoulder. The girl buckled, tripping over her own boots.

Meiko sprinted forward at the fall of the other girl, unaware of the man still above them.

Uragirimono's disappointment in his pawn was evident. His little game was becoming more and more complicated. Though he expected this, he never thought it would grow to this extent. Now how hard was it to gain the king of the other side of the board? Even if said treasured king had gotten a queen, he had his own queen too. And what a big coincidence it was; he was planning on killing both of these queens.

But to do that, he had to knock down a few rooks and bishops to get to get to them.

The white haired man smirked. Pulling up his hand bag that had been dangling at his side, he pulled out many large bent bars. He aimed down to the approaching brunette, the girl unaware of his being. He threw the bar down with a force greater then most men could ever match. It whistled through the air, slamming Meiko to the ground by the upper thigh and almost shattering the mechanical leg. The woman stared dazed, not able to even blink before another bar came through the air, only this time, the bent metal was able to take off her arm. Sparks flew and wires ripped; blood and tissue burned. Her legs were completely fake, but her arms and chest still had some flesh. It was then Meiko realized what was happening.

She was being ripped apart.

Already her leg was barely attached just by a few remaining chords, and now her arm lay a foot away from her, the tips of the fingers twitching with a thick coating of red around the torn end. And now she couldn't even get up because the bar had attached itself to the ground, holding down her upper thigh.

She was going to die.

"Stop!" A voice called out.

Meiko turned her head, seeing Luka screaming her head off.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, STOP!" The girl screamed and screamed, the man above grimacing again.

Uragirimono raised another bar, and with an eye not even blinking, threw it down, striking Luka right through her chest cavity. The girl stumbled back, her eyes flashing like a computer screen light going on and off. She stared at the bar through her chest, almost in wonder. Blood and gold sparks mixed, while her lurched forward in a hunched form. Finally her breath caught her as all was realized, a thin trail of Death's water running down her jaw. Luka dropped, her bright pink locks creating a blanket around her as she hit the floor. Her body jerked for a second, her lips straining to get desperate words out.

"Gak-Gakupo… I-I… I'm sor-!" Her body heaved lightly one more time, the light in her blue eyes gone.

Luka was dead.

The three women stared, parts of their hearts withering.

Luka was dead.

Miku screamed, her knees giving out.

"No… No!"

She wished she could cry. She wished so much that she could cry, or even more, have the bravery to follow Luka. But no, she was a coward that was not robot or human, and now she had lost Luka.

The girl she loved.

The teal girl whaled with sorrow. Her heart no longer existing.

Meiko though, she closed her eyes and waited for her turn, already sensing the light fading from her.

Maybe this is the beginning, she thought… to the end of the Kyoko and their meaning.

Maybe they just weren't meant to exist. The Master was already gone from this life, no matter how much it hurt her to know this, it was still the truth. The Master had saved them from the Reaper's blade years ago, and now that there was no one to save them again, it was their turn to dry up and rust. Their existence to never be known to the world again…

So while Miku mourned, and Meiko waited with a smile, her happy memories gracing her before death, Cherry became an inferno. Her eyes burned as her arms grew tight with solid muscle. She was once again the wild fire she was known for as one of the most famous cat burglars the world had ever seen. The sudden passion to kill coming from death itself… She moved with speed that came form her muscle memory. Soon she was up the stairs, a mere two meters from the man and his cat like smile.

"Oh, I feel no reason to fight someone like you… I'll just call my little angel to do the dirty work."

The man went to open the door, but the redheaded girl slammed her fist against it to crack the wood and then proceeded to rip out the knob.

This man was going to suffer if it was the last thing she ever saw to.

"Oh dear…" the gold eyes blinked. "You seem to be a knight. Can't have any of those running around."

Cherry felt pain in her stomach, her senses to far out of practice to catch his speed when he gave her another upper cut punch to the jaw. Soon she was flying over the railing by a kick that hit her side. When she landed on the lower level, the redhead could feel the warmth seeping from her skull and drowning her thoughts.

Uragirimono took not a chance. He opened the door with a forceful kick and called into the other room.

"Oh Sweetie-tan~! Daddy needs you for a second."

"I'm coming Mono-san!"

Cherry's eyes widened at the voice she knew so well. But it couldn't be… No! It was a lie! There was no away that-!

"Mono-san!"

And so the female redhead's heart was ripped out, as the sight of the small blonde she knew better than any one, jump into the arms of Uragirimono.

"No…" she whispered, tears steaming down pale cheeks.

"Meme-chan, can you do a job for daddy?"

"No…"

"Of course, anything for Mono-san!"

"No!"

Meme, her Meme, the one that she had been raising and loved with all her heart, was in the arms of one of the most hated men in this world. And so when the small blonde girl looked down to see her, the shock and surprise in her dark eyes tore the redhead even more. Why… Why must it be the only person in the world that she could honestly say she loved, be part of all this hell fire?

"Cherry…" Meme climbed out of arms of the man, her face twisted in confusion and hurt. "What are you doing here?"

The tears continued to fall, but now were starting to thin out. As she looked at Meme, she could feel the girl aging before her very own eyes. Because be it as it may, Cherry was the only one that knew the younger blonde's age. And even though Meme only looked to be seven or eight, she was really twelve, and closing in on puberty at that. It was only because of the girl's height that through most people off, but if anyone really paid attention, they'd be able to see how much more mature the girl was.

And that wasn't even the end of it.

"Well…" Cherry forced a smile on her lips, much like she saw Sasori do to please strangers. "It looks like I'm now here to fight my own." She pushed up on her knee, still smiling as she finally found the ground with a wobbly stance.

Meme bit her lip, unsure of what to do.

"Now Meme-chan, go take care of those nuisances down there so Daddy can go rest a little, ne?"

"But…" the small blond was about to break the skin on her lip.

"Please Meme-chan~? Daddy has a headache." Uragirimono moaned, Meme only giving a stiff nod in response. "Good girl! Leave no trash behind now, I'll be back in a while." He smiled at the little girl, knowing that she would never disobey him. So he took his exit and entered the other room, the wooden door swinging back and forth loosely because of the broken knob.

Only he was not greeted with an empty space.

"Why hello there bastard, un."

1:55 A.M.

Deidara leaned up against Hiruko, the puppet's tail swishing in the air near his head. Its not that he didn't mind the elder fighting in the wooden shell, it would just be more comforting if he could see the other.

They had just entered the empty second story room, the gold eyed man showing up right on time.

"Why hello there bastard, un."

Uragirimono cursed under his breath and threw a bar at the blonde without a second thought. Catching the other off guard and slamming him against the far wall, the young artist was caught by his left wrist. The white haired man was about to throw another too, but a metal tail lashed out and with a python's grip and raised him in the air above the hideous puppet.

"Hello Sori-chan. What brings you here?" The white haired man smiled.

"What the fuck did you just call my Danna?" Deidara growled from not to far away, still struggling to get his wrist free from the bar.

"Oh?" The man's smirk grew. "Don't you know? That's what I used to call Sasori-san when we were younger."

Deidara held in another growl. He remembered him and Sasori talking about how it was possible that the man was from the redhead's past. But now this was just pushing it.

"Be quiet you low life. I cant even remember my childhood." Hiruko's voice hissed harshly, the grip visibly tightening.

"Oh?" The cat grin now stretched from ear to ear. "You don't even remember running up to me, calling me 'Uragi'?" The tail stopped tightening at that, and Deidara watched with an unamused look as the room became quiet.

It was about a minute later that the clicking sound of Hiruko's outer covering lifted, the redhead on the inside standing up with an awed look, staring at the golden eyes.

"What… did you say?" When Sasori spoke, his voice not sound like his own. Almost as if it was… younger.

Deidara's eyes grew with anxiety, a fear starting to brew in his gut.

"Danna…?"

The redhead ignored him. "What did you say?"

"Are you starting to remember now? You used trail behind me, calling out 'Uragi! Uragi!'"

"U… Ragi?"

"Danna!" Deidara started to yell, his heart raking as he saw the puppeteer's expression change.

"Danna!"

"Uragi!" Sasori's face lit, his voice not even his own. "What are you doing up there Uragi?"

The man's smile was sickening sweet; his innocence coming off in a must of putrid virtue. "You put me up here Sori."

Sasori giggled. _Giggled_. And Deidara felt his heart start to crack as the fear in the bowels of his stomach turned vile. The fear being he had lost the real Sasori.

"That's silly Uragi, I don't even know how you would get up there."

Deidara screamed, the crack in his heart growing with each uncontrollable beat it took. And finally, after so many calls for his love, the redhead looked at him. But the stare wasn't right. It was more like the elder was looking _through_ him. Just like everyone else did…

"Why is that person screaming Uragi?"

Numb.

Shattered.

Tears threatening to spill.

Lost.

Weak.

Alone…

Deidara slid down the wall, not able put himself back together. Sasori was gone. Leaving him to fall apart just like the rest… Though, it was kinda funny, he thought. Most people said that love was indescribable, which was true. But what he truly was at a lose of words for, was what he was feeling now. Heartbreak, was what it was supposedly called. And all he could make sense of was that his chest was screaming with an incredible pain, and that his mind could not think through this pain, it was just to much. So thoughts of his own death suddenly entered this thinking training, already knowing his existence was nothing without the other beside him.

In fact, he was already dead.

And it was all thanks to Uragirimono…

A tint of anger was added to his depressing pallet.

This anger soon grew to rage as he saw the white haired man smile down to Sasori. Even if it wasn't the real Sasori any longer… his heart still cried out. And so, he decided, before he would send this place to hell, himself included, the blonde would kill the man still suspended in mid-air.

He reached into his clay pouch with his free hand, a sad smile of a sadist covering his lips. The mouth chewed, the tongue slowly putting the moist preformed clay into his palm. He then quickly molded into its final form.

A scorpion.

Deidara whispered quietly, tears finally breaking over their rims. "Goodbye Danna…"

And then he threw it, the clay drying quickly to explode.

2:06 A.M.

The sound of an explosion made Sasori jump out of a black state of mind. His fingers accidentally moved, dropping the white haired man. He swore and then noticed some of the damage on the spade of Hiruko's tail. It wasn't serious, but it was a certain blonde's work…

"Brat," he looked over to Deidara who was still stuck to the wall, Deidara's head popping up at his voice. "Is there any reason you attacked my work?" The redhead then looked down to the fallen man, a burn on his right arm. "At least he's knocked out now." He moved the tail across the small distance between them, yanking the bar off with it. "Come on, we'll get him in Hiruko and-" but he stopped.

Deidara was moving to the back entrance from where they had come in.

Tears going down his face.

"Dei…?" He moved the tail to grab the other around the waist lightly, but when contact was made, the blonde's head whipped around, twisted in hurt and rage.

"Don't. Touch. Me."

He gaped, now fazed. Sasori's fingers moved without his notice, the tail moving back near him. A tense moment passed, tears still leaving the other's eyes. Finally the blonde left, his echoing footsteps going down the metal stairs along the building where they were faintly heard, to then faded away.

Sasori didn't understand, what had happened when he blacked out…?

It happened then. Aksuna Sasori had repressed all his childhood memories up in until his body was changed at the age of fifteen. But at that moment, he experienced it all once again in one blink of his eye. He became dizzy with something close to whiplash. The redhead felt it all once again, the loneliness of rarely seeing his parents, the hate for his grandmother, the strength of his and Uragirimono's friendship, his love of art, the pain from losing his parents and the hate of their killers. It all came to him so fast he was over whelmed for a second. But then grasped himself, with the past and present included. The present…? What had happened to make him black out? What had happened _when_ he blacked out?

"Dei…" Sasori moved into Hiruko quickly. He had to catch up to suicidal teen, lest he lose the last precious thing he had...

2:11 A.M.

Deidara ran down the street, the empty buildings giving him comfort as to knowing no one was watching him. After running so long with his cheeks a light red and stained, his mind told him to rest up in the ally he was near. It was dark, and there didn't seem to be anyone even near to hear or see him.

He moved in the blackness and laid up against the wall, his sobs making his chest hurt. Something fell out of his pocket, quickly looking it over, he knew it as the last walkie-talkie, it's twins near the bombs he placed around the old factory he was just in… If he uttered one single word into that talkie, the word would be repeated four times and four pieces of art would combined into create one master piece. The building would be nothing but rubble and ash in a matter of five seconds.

But what if Sasori and the others were still in there?

The blonde contemplated this for several minutes, wondering what he should do.

What would Sasori do?

That came into his mind and suddenly the mercenary's old train of thought started to get him thinking like a killer. The reason for the job they had just preformed was to either capture or kill their enemy. But that changed when Sasori's personality altered, and though he seemed to come back, if they were to face the same man, who was to say Sasori wouldn't change again and turn against everyone? So it was just best too… He didn't finish the thought, it hurt to much.

He picked up the walkie-talkie and whispered one word with trembling lips.

"Katsu."

In the distance, with only a two second delay, there was an explosion. One that roared and blew his heart back.

"Fucking hell…" Deidara slammed his fist against the wall, his body aching. "Goodbye... Danna, un…"

2:09 A.M.

Uragirimono rose, the two artists not in sight.

"I better get moving, before history repeats itself." He pushed himself up him with his good arm, the other one burned black to the bone. "This is quite a bad booboo…"

He moved slowly, barely able to get to the wooden door and push it open. He leaned up against the railing, breathing hard and staring down on to the four females. The brunette, Meiko he believed, was whispering comforting words to Miku, who was finally calming down from the shock of Luka's death. Meme, however, was near the bottom of the stairs, sitting next to Cherry who was laying on the ground, her eyes closed.

The white haired man moved down the stairs slowly, looking over the two girls that suddenly seemed all to familiar in new ways…

"She's still breathing." Meme's head whipped around to stare at him. "Why haven't you killed her yet?"

"…you promised…"

"Hm?"

She spun up and on her feet, the dark eyes of the small girl filling with tears of ache. "You promised!"

Uragirimono looked at her with a bland expression. Was he about to loose his own knight too?

"Promised what, my dear?"

"That she wouldn't get involved! You promised that Cherry-san wouldn't get involved with this, any of it!" The small girl's tears finally broke their rims, falling in fat drops to the floor. Her misery was evident, her sorrow and grief vivid.

And yet he did not hesitate to pull out his revolver and shoot Cherry in her chest near her heart.

The world ended for Meme in that second. All with a single bullet…

From one single man.

"Monster!" She jumped on him, slamming his head into the stone steps causing his white hair to dye white. Her hands wrapped around his throat even though her whole body trembled with rage. "Why?" Her voice near cracked, her anger being the only thing keeping it in place. But what was a searing thing to notice about the young girl, was her eyes, wide and ready to kill.

And yet this man only smiled.

"Because my dear, she was starting to remind me of Sasori."

Meme stared dumbfounded, what could he mean? But this moment of confusion was this underhanded man's chance. He moved up to his feet, shaking her off to the ground. He then placed a hard foot on her small chest, the pressure making her choke.

"And you, my dear, should be careful. For now, you vaguely reminding me of Deidara."

"What…?" She was trying to figure this out, the lack of blood going to her head was not helping.

"What 'what' do you mean?"

"… Similar… HOW!" She screamed the last word, her reserve of breath gone.

"Oh? Really now, I cant believe I never noticed before. Cherry's double edged personality may be her own, but she originally was a very serious character, just like he. They are both infamous criminals, both of their skills are impressive. And most of all, besides their share of red hair, they both found a young blonde as their muse."

"…Muse?" That word could of killed her. If that truly was all she was, all she could ever be and nothing closer to the heart than inspiration… especially in Cherry's art of thievery. Then why live?

"But then of course there is the similarities between you and Dei-kun. You're both young, natural born killers hat have little sense of life and so you become suicidal easily. But the most annoying trait you both share, again, despite the hair color; you both seem to be loyal to your person of choice." The boot got tighter on her chest and her face twisted in pain.

Meme was brave to say her next words, but after all, what did it matter?

Her life was worthless anyway.

"You forgot… one thing… that we… all," she panted and forced up a smile. "Share."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

"Our hate for you."

His boot slammed into her mouth. The white haired man then kicked her down to roll and lay next to Cherry, who was breathing harshly for life as blood slipped out of her body like silk.

If only I could whisper a few words to her, Meme thought.

But she couldn't. The blow to her mouth had ripped her gums and broke off a few of her remaining baby teeth, so a red and thick mess was spilling out of her mouth with an intense sting.

Uragirimono scoffed at the little girl as she smiled at the dieing woman. Though he forgot about the two of them and started to move away to get to the exit, knowing the building could go sky high any minute.

Moving slowly across the room, he saw the woman, Meiko, urging the teal haired girl to leave, probably sensing the same thing as he. Finally the younger girl ran out the side door that led to a tight ally. Which would not be a good place to be if this place was going to be blown up… He limped forward at a quicker pace. Not expecting the dieing woman to speak a word to him. Oh, how wrong he was though.

"You're not going to win."

Uragirimono stopped and looked at the woman only a meter away, his gold eyes cold. "Excuse me?"

"You're not going to win, not Sasori… Or this little game you play. You're just to corrupted to see such an obvious truth."

Her voice was dulled, and the light from her eyes was growing dimmer each second. Now of course this statement wouldn't of regularly bothered him so much… And this time would of been the same…

If not for the small smile on her face.

His anger then flared. "Arrogance!" He took only one step to stand over her, his voice chilled and vile as he hissed out his words. "What are you to speak of humanity? You are nothing! A mere combination of metal and a little flesh. And now you and all your little friends have been suffering for years all because of one man who wanted to play god and run experiments on you! _FILTH!_"

She looked at him, unfazed, with the little smile still radiating hope.

And he hated it.

"You are wrong. For you are the arrogant one. You are the filth. Because you are blinded by your own sickened mind. You will be the one to lose."

Meiko's smile brightened.

Uragirimono raised his leg and brought it down. The sound of cracking metal and breaking bone made him grin. The sent of blood raised to his nose as small sparks flew up at the same time.

He had crushed her skull. The brunette was no more.

He left the building in a hurry then. Out the door he went satisfied. And when he was across the street…

Not a second later did the old factory explode.

2:31 A.M.

Deidara shivered and let his tears fall, unconsciously deciding more or less to stay in the ally until he could decide what to do. Either return to the other mercenaries…

Or die there.

Returning to the mercenaries did not sound pleasing to him. But nor did dieing in the all way by starvation or thirst. No, those would take to long and would be painful. And neither of those were artistic. Those were the ways the scum lower than rats died. But, the blonde on the other hand. Now he was a man of vision, of talent. He would not die in such a plain and boring way. He wanted his suffering to be known; he wanted his art to be known.

Deidara reached into his left pouch and pulled out a pre-formed figure made of his clay.

It was a bird.

"Looks like I'll be seeing you soon enough Danna, un."


	25. A Story of Loss

**DISCLAMINER: Don't. Own. Shit. Thank You :]**

**A/N: Guys… I was going to leave a really distressed and anger filled A/N. And I'll tell you why. Someone had stolen from me. Like, completely took my first chapter and only changed it a little to fit their story. The fic was called Virgin Hotline. And I was going to tell you my frustrations, but for some reason, like a day later I found out about it, the story was deleted. **

**Now I don't know if any of you read it *cough* SS *cough* before it was deleted in all. But I wont be mad at any of you *cough* 97 *cough* if you did. Though, I would be a little upset towards anyone *cough* N *cough* that didn't notice it was my work in the first place. Though I will forgive if you apologize if that applies to you. Sorry if any one of you guys was singled out in this, I just looked at a few reviews the story had and… one of the reviewers stood out to me…**

**BUT. The story is gone and I can let you guys enjoy this chapter with no angry rant. So enjoy the chap (I know you will cause I added something in there that originally wasn't supposed to be there, but oh well!).**

**From the author that should probably be in a straight jacket-!**

**Teiden~ **

DAY 56 - SATURDAY - 2:34 A.M.

"Looks like I'll be seeing you soon enough Danna, un."

"You'll be seeing me now brat."

Deidara felt his back slammed up against the brick wall, his clay creation knocked out of his hand. Cold metal wrapped around him and covered his mouth. He knew it was Sasori, meaning that he had been unsuccessfully in tiring to kill the other and now was going to get yelled at. It wouldn't matter though, it wasn't like his existence mattered. He might as well… get it over with.

The blonde started to struggle, his fingers twitching towards his clay creation. Sasori noticed this and looked to where the other's eyes were wandering. The bomb. From within the puppet, Sasori growled. Dropping the younger with his tail and moving it to grasp the object, he threw it high and far away, knowing that destroying it would do no good since the tiny devices in the medium could still be activated either way.

Once the sculpture as gone, he looked back to the other stunned artist, emotion making his teeth grit.

"Brat, didn't I tell you? I said I'd never forgive your sorry ass if you died."

The blonde rose and stood across from him, only five meters away, his look dulled with a frown. His eyes were dim of light or any form of expression. Sasori then felt as if he was he was looking in a mirror. The redhead guessed this was what he was like, void of feeling, and presence always foreboding and cold.

"But how is that fair Danna, when you're already dead to me, un?"

His breath caught with confused shock. What did the blonde mean…?

The stoic state of the other gave him no clue, the blank eyes hardening each second.

This sight enraged him though. Deidara, his Deidara, was not supposed to be like that. Deidara was supposed to be filled with life, a temper, a sadistic humor, a passion for art, a self conscious state of mind for his looks, an ego bigger than the state, and a depressing subconscious that was starting to fade. Those were just a few of the younger's traits. All of them annoying, but… Sasori had fallen in love with said person of those traits. And so, even though these things and more were a hindrance, he wasn't sure what he'd do without Deidara anymore. If wasn't like the blonde tried to leave, he in fact kept him despite the trouble. Sasori had helped the teen even though he actually really had no obligation to do so.

And now they were like a magnet, the blonde trying to pull from the attraction. But Sasori would rather be locked away then never see the man before him. So how was he to show that?

Wait… locked away…?

Sasori opened up Hiruko to face Deidara, the blue eyes not even blinking. "Dei, come here," the redhead gestured with his fingers, but when his lover did not move, he used his tail and grabbed the blonde around the waist. The blue eyes widened a little as he was brought forward, a slice of fear showing in the other's expression.

Deidara stared as the tense moment passed, but when the tail let him go, he was surprised further to have arms hold him.

"Dei, I think it's time I told you about my past."

"I already know plenty of your past Sasori, un." Deidara spoke coldly, all the while wanting to cry and embrace the elder back with all his strength. But he wouldn't let himself get hurt again.

"No, you don't." The redhead made the two artist's lower into the puppet, Hiruko shutting and clicking closed quickly.

Now of course there was enough room for the both of them to sit away from each other, but Sasori held on to him as they laid themselves down against the wood. And even though he couldn't get away, he did turn from the other so he wasn't facing the brown eyes that could break him so easily.

"Dei," the arm around his waist tightened. "I don't know what happened when I blacked out at the factory. But after you left, my… childhood, I suppose, came back to me. I had forgotten that part of my life for a reason, but now I dare say that the only people that know of those things are myself, my grandmother, and the white haired fuck."

"Land your plane, Sasori, un."

The grip tightened again and he swore the elder was going to squeeze all the air out of him.

"My parents were mercenaries and I was with them when they were killed."

Well... that really shut him up.

"Will you listen now?"

He nodded, slowly and with a stiff neck, but it was a nod all the same.

"Alright…" the redhead took a breath in, his past flooding him once again. "My parents were mercenaries as I said. They were constantly away and my grandmother would have to watch over me. I was a very lonely child. I never made friends and usually stayed to myself in school. My grandmother became worried and taught me how to make puppets which eased me to an extent. But… I was happiest when my parents were home, their jobs took them months to complete sometimes, I remember even once waiting an entire year before they came home…"

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 7

A little redhead boy looked out a second story window, his eyes dazed. A storm had started up outside and he didn't want to get wet. Each day had gone slowly since this little boy's parents had left. He worried about them everyday, and everyday he would ask his grandmother if she had heard from them. And yet nothing came.

"Tomorrow…" he whispered. "It'll be a year since they left."

He turned away from the window and looked at the empty room. There was a bed, a dresser, and a chest that held of few of this things. But there was also a bedside table. It was small to where it could only fit a lamp and a picture frame. The picture inside that frame though… it was of him and his parents when he was a baby. It was the only picture he had of them, well, it was the only picture in the world _of_ them. The little boy didn't know why his parents didn't like taking pictures, or why they were always away for so long. But he was content with the picture, and when he was able to see his mother and father… they were always happy moments.

A few good memories lulled the little redhead on the windowsill to sleep. His dreams pleasant and comforting, for his parents were in them. But when someone started to shake him, he didn't want to come out of his dreams. He didn't want the truth to come to him. He didn't want to be lonely.

"Sasori, wake up sweetie."

A voice so warm made his eyes want to open then. And when they did, there were his parents…

"Mom! Dad!" He jumped into his parents arms, happy that they were home again.

END 

Deidara curled up a little at the end of Sasori's words, his back now lightly touching the other's chest.

"I'm sorry… for that… un…"

He didn't want to speak that much, because his own guilt was hitting him hard. He was pathetic, he realized. The blonde got to see his parents everyday at least, and yet he moped about his life. Sasori had it much worse when he was younger. So why did the other seem to take pity on him so much…?

"Listen to me now Dei." Lips brushed past his ear. Oh how much he wanted to kiss those lips… "Uragirimono is a big part of my past, and no matter how much I regret that, I cant change it. I wouldn't tell you what I'm about to unless I was worried, and I am. I don't want you to face him again and be unaware of what happened. I don't want him to trick you, and I don't want him to lie to you. So I'm going to tell you the truth. Will you hear me out?"

"Un…" The blonde curled up tighter, trying to resist the urge to lean up against the warm chest of the puppeteer.

"Hn… let's see… where to start? I think I met him when I was nine years old in the summer. I went to school like everyone, but never talked. My grades were high so the teacher's never paid much attention… Then he came along. He was a grade above me so I never cared to notice him. But it seemed he noticed me…"

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 9

Under a large tree that cast a perfect shadow against the heat, a redhead boy was laying his back up against the rich bark. A book in his lap, it was a peaceful day. The wind would blow his hair carefully across his face, while his brown eyes moved slowly, taking in the black and white words. He was in the park, a quiet and serene place that had trails to walk, a field to host gatherings and a playground for children to explore. It was a good place, full of innocence and happiness.

So how come he still felt alone?

The boy did not pay attention to the steps that were approaching him, he thought it was just someone passing by on the trail. So it wasn't until a figure was standing right above him that he did look up.

It was another boy. The redhead had seen him before in school, and as far as he could tell, the boy was also very popular. He had white hair and gold eyes that many girls adored, but what he was most famous for, was his cat like smile that made most people very aware of him one way or another.

But the redhead just found the boy an attention seeker and so never gave him a care… that was, until the boy actually started talking to him.

"Ne, you're Sasori right?"

The redhead looked up briefly, then went back to reading.

The boy sat next to him, offering his hand to shake. "I'm Uragirimono."

The boy snapped the book shut and started to walk away, the white haired boy jumping up in confusion.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Away from you," the redhead stated.

"Huh? … Wait!"

The smaller boy was tackled from behind, his impatience growing.

"Get off of me." He demanded.

"Not until you become friends with me!"

"…What?"

"I want to be friends with you Sasori-kun."

The redhead pushed the older boy off him and stood up, glaring down. "Why would you want to be friends with me?"

That cat like smile formed on the other's lips, it's appearance untrustworthy. The redhead did not like that smile, it seemed twisted to him. All the more reason to not let the older boy get the better of him.

"But you're always alone."

Now those words were just unfair play.

"And I thought it might be nice to be with someone you like you, since you seem more… oh, what's the word? When your more adult like?" The boy scratched his white head, almost looking like a monkey with his puzzled face.

The redhead snickered.

"Mature?"

"That's it!" The boy popped up from the ground like a fire cracker, his eyes sparkling none the less. "See! You're even smart Sasori-kun!"

The smaller boy sighed. How was he supposed to argue?

"Fine, you can be my 'friend'." The smaller of the two started to walk away, his air quotes not even fazing the older.

"Can I call you Sori-chan?"

"Don't push it…"

END 

It was quiet for a little while. Deidara absorbing all of it at a steady pace.

"How… close of friends… did you become, hn?"

The blonde felt the arm around his waist go across his torso diagonally to grab his shoulder. He was then pulled tightly against the broad chest behind him. Deidara may of had the will power to move for a moment, but that changed when Sasori's forehead rested against his shoulder.

"I'll tell you. Just let it catch up to me first."

The elder was really weary of this next part. There was a good chance the blonde might get mad or become suicidal once again. But if he didn't tell him, what if the younger were to face the white haired man and he tell him? Sasori didn't know how his regular would react, but it certainly wouldn't be good… His hand was grabbed. The redhead could tell Deidara was being hesitant, but even still, the light squeeze given relaxed him.

So, taking a deep breath of air that smelled like his Deidara, he spoke again. "Over the years, we actually became very close friends. At first he was just annoying when he tired to talk to me at school. But I suppose I got used to him to where he was tolerable. And just like your association with your brother making you popular, once people noticed how fond of he was of me, I also became popular in a sense. Though I rarely spoke to anyone but him, he kept my mind off my parents."

"Did they die?" As soon as those words fell out of his mouth, Deidara mentally slapped himself. Honestly, how much more of an insensitive question could he ask?

"I haven't gotten to that part yet."

Deidara's breath hitched. It took him a second of thought now, but he turned around to face the brown eyes. They weren't blank to his surprise, though. They were filled with emotions such as regret, desolation, revulsion and apprehension. And yet they seemed so fragile. So vulnerable. And so he moved his hand to cup the pale cheek below those sad brown eye's, his mouth forming words even though his throat was dry.

"I'm sorry, un."

Sasori sighed. "I was going to tell you anyway, and it's not your fault, you weren't even born yet when they died."

"Still… I brought it up."

"Didn't I just say I was going to tell you?"

"Un, but… it must be painful… to remember such a thing."

Sasori chuckled, his hand now starting to run through his gold locks. "That's why I have you to hold on to."

Deidara cringed. It was becoming harder and harder not to break down and cry in Sasori's arms. He was trying to stay calm, but the soft velvet voice passing his ear, the subtle heat mixing with his, the faint smell of a foreign spice. It was all so drawing, so inviting.

But he didn't want to be hurt again.

"Dei, I have a few more things to tell that will not be pleasing to hear, but I'd prefer you know these things. So nothing catches you off guard. Or so no lies can trick you."

"Oh… Kay… un."

He couldn't cry.

Not yet.

"I think I was thirteen when things started to change between us. Most boys were starting to go through puberty by now and were taking an interest in girls. It was also vise versa for the girls too, some of them taking an interest in me, but I never cared for them and their useless needs and whines. But the white fuck though, he had many admires and didn't even give them a second glance. He was often rude to any girl that would approach him with a smile. And he would show even more distaste after I turned a girl down."

"He had a thing for you even then, didn't he, un?"

"Unfortunately."

"Hn. Did he… Do… anything to you?"

"He actually stole my first kiss."

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 13

A petite but deceivingly strong redhead was laying on his stomach along his bed. His best friend sitting up against his bed board. The younger boy invited his friend over for two reasons. The first was his parents had left last night to go on their next job, and he could already feel the loneliness seeping into his attitude. And the second? Well, it probably wouldn't be good if he threw himself into building the fifth puppet of the month. So he decided to bring his friend over for company. But this wasn't just about distracting him, it was also about distracting the white haired boy from going to some party they were invited to. He wasn't the social type, even though his friend was. So this little study session was for the both of them really…

Okay, no. This was basically just all for him.

"Hey Sasori, you sure you don't want to go to Jinku's party tonight?"

Damn.

"No Uragi. I do not want to go to any party."

"Aww! Why not?"

The redhead looked up from his homework, the gold eyes sparkling. The younger became tense, he had known, for three years now, that the white haired boy had a split personality that was just horrid with a wicked temper. And it was easier to trigger than anyone would think.

"I don't like people Uragi, you know that."

"And how come you can call me Uragi but I cant call you Sori-chan?"

"Because you allow me to call you that, and I don't allow you to use idiotic pet names against me."

"I would never use something against you!"

"Of course you wouldn't…"

Silence. The redhead felt the mattress shift. He looked up again to see the white haired boy only a few inches from his face. Though he did try to hide his blush, it didn't work out so well.

"What?"

"If you wont go to the party with me…" the older boy got closer. "At least let me do this."

The gold eyes closed and the distance between them no longer existed. The redhead felt something cover his lips that didn't seem right. Then said thing that had covered them started to move. The younger boy was completely shocked.

So this was what people called a kiss? But why was Uragi giving him one?

The older boy moved away, that cat like smile still on his lips.

"Aw, you're so cute when you blush Sori-kun!"

END

Hiruko was quiet. Deidara had grabbed onto his arm halfway through his small tale and now was silent also…

"Dei?" He asked softly, now looking at the other.

"That bastard…"

"Hn?"

Nails started to dig into his arm and the blonde was scrunching up tighter with a trembling figure.

"You let that bastard kiss you, un?"

By now, Sasori could easily register the younger's murderous energy and the hate behind it. But he was unable to tell if the other was angered by himself, or the white haired man's actions. Possibly both.

"I became very annoyed with him after that, he never went for my lips again. Don't worry."

Even though he tried to sound reassuring, it seemed the blonde's fire grew.

"You say he never went for you lips again, un. Did he go for anything else?"

"…"

"Danna," the blue eyes were narrowing dangerously, their hate and rage becoming vibrant in the dim light of the enclosed space. "What else?"

"…He often kissed my cheek after that at random times. Though he would find excuses to go for my lips as many times a day as he could think of."

Deidara's boiling point seemed to hit then, for he moved up fiercely, flattening the redhead to his back. Sasori was a little dazed for a second with the blonde on top of him, but when the younger smashed their lips together, their kiss instantly began to burn and scorch with a spicy taste. The redhead moved up against the back of the wood, groping the fine tight ass before him at the same time. Then he tried to get his regular's tongue to come out and play, but the other simply growled and pushed him back and began to catch his breath.

"You better fucking tell me I'm a hell of a lot better kisser than that nut bugger, un."

Sasori stared at the other artist, completely turned on. Who knew an aggressive partner would be so god damn sexy?

"Don't worry Dei," he chuckled while starting to lean towards the blushing, yet still glowering, blonde. "Your kiss is a poison," he whispered with a harsh breath. "It's addicting… an intoxicating drug," he was now making the younger lean against the wood, the redhead hovering closer each second. "And it never fails to melt my cold heart, and steal my attention away."

"So…" Deidara spoke quietly unsure of himself. "I'm a better kisser than him, un?"

He chuckled warm air past the reddening ear, Deidara's face was almost a complete cherry. "Yes… And far better in bed."

Oh Sasori, you were so close… up until you said that little sentence, that is…

"You slept with him, un!"

So close…

"Hn?" He backed away, almost unnerved by the new out burst.

"You said, 'and far better in bed', un. How would you know unless you've slept with him?"

He stayed quiet, his calm composer rising again and his emotion draining. These next few things, they were painful. He could see why he had suppressed all of the memories now, they were strong with vivid remembrance. And even if he wished them away again, there was no doubt something would come up to the point that he would once again see them in his mind's eye, and relive it all over again. It would only cause more pain to suppress such powerful things again. So he decided against it. Now if only Deidara would calm down so he could explain.

"-Fuck it! Just let me out of here, un!" Deidara started to bang on the top of the puppet. He had to get out of there before his anger burned out and his tears flooded whatever space he was in.

He had to get out…

Even though arms wrapped around him, he didn't care. Sasori was the reason he felt so weak. The reason why he wanted to scream and be swallowed by darkness. It was all because of him.

"Sasori, let me out of this piece of shit now, un!"

"No."

"I said let me out!" He started to bang harder, his knuckles stringing, they were only a few hits away from bleeding from the hard metal.

"You're angry because you love me, don't you?"

Deidara's blood ran cold. The bastard… He turned around slowly, his glare now showing a true sense of loathing for the man before him.

"Fuck. You. Un. Because right now, I despise you to hell."

The redhead raised an eyebrow, silently challenging the other.

Deidara growled, his fists clenching. "You ass. You tore my heart out and cried out to that white haired fuck all in the same hour and I still love you. And you go and ask if I still do, un? I wouldn't be in this piece of shit puppet if I didn't! And now you're making me sound like a god damned bitch… Fuck. You. Un," he snarled while resisting the urge to punch the perfect face of the redhead.

The arms did not move from him though, and the impassive eyes wouldn't change. Was that all he really was? Something to look down on and think little of? Was that all he was really worth…?

"I will let you go. There are just perhaps three or four more things I'm going to tell you. Then you may go if you want."

"…" The blonde relaxed some and leaned up against him, still frowning. Then using his hair to cover his face, the younger whispered. "He took your virginity, didn't he, un…?"

"He tried, more like it. His attempts to kiss and hold me were becoming more frequent, but I thought he was more or less doing this to tease me. But after one night at his house, everything changed."

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 14

A redhead laid his sleeping bag on the ground next to his best friend's bed. Uragi's parents both worked late in the night, but they both knew the younger boy enough to stay home alone with their son. So the smaller boy would often sleep over, especially when his parents first left for a new job.

"Oh Sasori~! Why don't you come here for a second?" The white haired boy popped his head up from the side of the bed, his eyebrows going up in down.

The redhead sighed and sat on the bed, not really trusting his mischievous friend completely. But when he leaned over the side of the bed, he did not expect to be tackled.

"Ah!"

His head hit the pillow and he suddenly couldn't move his arms that were stuck above his head.

"Wha…?"

The smaller boy looked up and saw his hands were handcuffed to the bed board.

"Uragi?" He looked at the gold eyes that were gleaming with a playful nature. The older boy soon went to straddle his lap and cup his cheek. The redhead struggled to get out of the cuffs and away from his friend. There was obliviously something wrong…

That's it!

"Uragi, stop. This is your other personality, this isn't you." He spoke calmly, almost with no feeling. It was actually surprising that he could sound so lax considering the circumstances.

"Oh Sasori, you're so smart, so how come you haven't figured it out yet?" The older boy's hand slipped up his shirt and started to toy with his nipple, turning it painfully. "There is no other side, or personality. This is all I am," a harsh twist came to his nub, making the smaller boy wince. "This what I'm really like. It was just when I let my true self slip that I had to tell you I was something along the lines of schizophrenic. It was the only way I could gain your trust since you were always so distant."

The redhead was becoming worried, though he didn't show it, so he started to wiggle around the bars to the headboard. There was usually…

Ah, found it.

The smaller boy smirked, but it was wiped away as soon it was there. Something had rubbed up his groin and it didn't feel right in any sense. Soon his shirt was gone and his nipple was bit, drawing blood. Kisses ran up and down his sides and licks came with bites.

It was then the younger of the two faced the reality.

Uragi was really going to rape him.

The redhead became scared. More scared than he had ever been in his life. His best friend was attacking him, and sexually at that. He never thought the white haired boy was really mentally ill, just maybe a little weird. But this was… This was…

Betrayal.

The older boy was his best friend, his only true friend. Sometimes the gold eyes were the only light he had in this world. And now he was about to lose all of that…

Another rub to his crotch and the smaller redhead cried out with tears peaking his eyes. He broke the piece of wood off from the bed board and struck the other boy. The older hadn't paid attention to which little bar he handcuffed him too, and he had been over to this house plenty of times to know that every other bar in the frame was loose. But once he had hit the other up side the head, he was not able to catch his breath. It was when he finally saw the unconscious boy on the ground though, that he felt his heart ripped from him.

"Goodbye…" the redhead choked up. "Goodbye Uragi…"

The boy grabbed his shirt and left that house for good. Walking halfway across town, he found his grandmother already asleep in her bed. And so he moved to his room and sat on his windowsill like he had done as a child.

To finally cry.

END

"I was depressed after I lost him," Sasori continued quickly, not wanting silence to take them again. "My grandmother never took notice of my change. Nor did she notice that I stopped talking. I guess you could say I was boarder line suicidal, with the only thing not sending me over the edge being my parents. They were able to come home five or six times that year, which was really good actually. But they could tell something had happened to me. They became worried… So they took time off. Refused every job that was offered to them and took me over seas. They took me to shows, concerts and art museums. I enjoyed those most of all. But just spending time with them was nice…"

He paused for a minute remembering his mother and farther, smiling at him gently. They really did love him, he knew that. So he never really felt guilty for revenging them.

"Now of course my parents had enemies considering their occupation. But they were professionals so I never gave any of that a second thought… I think it was our sixteenth day we were away. They had taken me to an exhibit I was excited about. There weren't very many people there so that made things even better. But when I strayed away for just a second, that's when I really started to loose them for good."

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 15

An ecstatic redhead entered another room full of paintings. They were all beautiful. He hoped nothing would happen to them because he thought everyone deserved to see something so magnificent as the sights before him. He wished for them to last forever.

Gun shots.

Screaming.

More gun shots.

In less than two seconds, chaos had surrounded the boy. He was confused. What had happened? Why were all these people running away?

"Sasori! Sasori where are you?"

"Mom! Dad! I'm over here!"

The redhead ran towards his parent's voices. They grabbed on to him and held him tight to their bodies. They then made him move quickly toward an exit. But when they entered the largest gallery, where the ceiling was made of glass, gun shots came again and his parents shielded him. Shards began to fall and his parents heavy bodies fell on top of him.

"What's wrong with you guys? We've got to move!" The redhead struggled under them. When he was finally free of the weight though, he noticed something.

He was covered in blood that was not his own.

Shock hit him faster then he could grasp it. His parents were dead. They were murdered. The building was burning to the ground. All the paintings and amazing works would perish. _He _was going to be burned alive.

The redhead backed away with wide eyes until he hit the wall. His body began to tremble and so he slid down to the floor, his breath catching in the on coming smoke. So he curled up in a ball.

Waiting to see what fate would have for him.

END

"You didn't die, un."

"Of course I didn't," Sasori snorted. "I wouldn't be here if I did. But I actually didn't expect to live. After seeing my parents die, I was completely ready for death myself. And it was only luck that didn't allow me to follow them."

"… Hn… what happened…?" Though Deidara asked reluctantly, he could tell the blonde was still curious.

"Remember the man name Orochimaru?"

"Hn… One of the gang leaders, un."

"He found me and took me out of the fire."

"…"

"When I woke up, I was in his care. Most of my body had been charred and I was bandaged. He explained the cause of the fire and my parents death."

FLASHBACK - SASORI - AGE 15 

The brown eyes of a boy opened. They were met with an intense stare from a sickly pale man with long greasy hair. Where was he?

"Welcome back, Sasori. My name is Orochimaru, I know your parents," the man smirked. "Well, I _knew _your parents, that is~."

The boy stayed quiet, his eyes dulled.

"I'm afraid your parents were tracked down when they took you on your little vacation. One of their current jobs seemed to create a few enemies~. It's a shame you got mixed up in all of it…"

The redhead continued to stare. His mind blank.

"I can understand you being in shock. Your body was burned pretty bad. Some of it will heal, other parts... not as likely. The fire was started before hand to try and trap everyone inside. They even waited for their target, your parents, to enter the glass room where they could easily fire quick and easy. But to get people moving, they had to start firing first. Any questions so far, Sasori~?"

The boy thought for a moment, thinking about to that day, to that memory. It seemed so distant, almost surreal. But a question did come to his mind. A question that he was actually curious about.

"Were the paintings burned?"

Orochimaru stared at him dumbfounded, his ego slightly thrown off.

"…Yes, they were."

The redhead sighed, his bandaged chest swelling with pain. "Shame."

"Right…" the man gave him a funny look, that soon turned to a frown. "Any other questions?"

"Hn," the brown eyes closed. "Where can I find my parents murders?"

END

"As it happens, he did know where I could find them. I killed four at once. Three escaped. I've been able to kill another since then. But they are not easy people to find."

Deidara nodded numbly, his body growing limp as his thoughts wandered with the other's story filling his head. It was just so tragic… Sasori then continued to speak, the words still filling his mind.

"Later it became clear what skin would heal and what wouldn't. My hands and face were perfectly fine and recovered quickly, some other patches in my skin did also, but not much. It was then I remembered the paintings on the day of my parents death, and I realized true art was immortal in beauty and strength. So I began the recreation of my body, with a little help from Orochimaru. When I was complete, I was perfect. Flesh and wood mixed together brilliantly to where I looked normal, but would never die." The redhead paused, not sure what else to say. But he was quick to realize there really was nothing else to say, so he gave the blonde a squeeze. "And that is all the story I have to tell."

He opened the puppet up, stale air rushing out and fresh air in. Standing then, the younger followed his actions, only facing away to gaze at the brick wall of the ally. It was still dark, night and it's presence becoming comforting quickly. But the observation of being alone was even more so… After a moment of stillness, he let go of the blonde.

"You may leave if you wish, Deidara. I will not stop you. I will take care of the remaining matters and you will never hear from me again. That…" he let out a breath. "I can promise."

He waited. He waited for the younger to step out of the puppet and walk down the ally way without a second glance. He even waited to receive a hit, a slap, something, to show rage or hurt. But none of those things happened. His lover didn't even move.

"Deidara?"

The blonde turned around, tears finally dripping out. Deidara wasn't sure what to feel exactly. Relief, perhaps? Anger, hope, depression, hurt, pity? Any of those he could say would fit the moment. But all he really wanted…

"Danna…"

Was to jump in Sasori's arms and be held, much like he did in the next second.

"Dei," Sasori grabbed onto the blonde and gave him a kiss, trying not to overwhelm the other. But the younger parted their lips and licked along his mouth gingerly, making the redhead decide he didn't give a damn any how.

Their tongues came out to mingle while their hands decided to roam. Air was needed though, unfortunately, and they had to separate for a second. Deidara leaned up against the brick wall, his panting light.

"Danna," he gave a sad smirk. "It's pointless to even try and make me leave. Because you're stuck with me for life, un."

The elder chuckled and hovered closer to him. "Oh~?" Sasori's knee came in-between his legs and started to rub at his crotch. "That's good. Because if I remember correctly, I owe you a nice pleasurable session." Kisses started to trail down his neck, the light touches making him shiver in anticipation. "And I'm pretty sure no one's going to interrupt us here," a hand slid up his shirt while another groped his ass. "So what do you say?"

Another shiver went down his spine, the velvet voice dripping with sex. So he said with a panting breath, and a growing erection: "Onegai… Sasori no Danna…"

Sasori hummed in amusement, and then decided he'd waste no time. He rid the both of them of their shirts and started to suck on the light pink nubs. His reward being light moans from above. Then he decided to test something. He went to the mouth that was sewn up together by stitches and started to lick around the lips. The blonde gasped.

"D-Danna!"

"So this is a sensitive spot. I was a little distracted last time, but since this is all about your pleasure… I feel like I should explore your body a little more. Right, Dei?"

Deidara didn't answer, he was all to concentrated on how drastically his body was heating up.

Sasori began to remove the other's clothes further until they were left with nothing but boxers. His hands then glided over skin and his teeth and tongue experimented with sensitive flesh. He soon found three new spots to tease, which he enjoyed. But eventually his hand slipped passed the younger's erection briefly and noticed pre-cum was starting to soak the other's shorts.

"Hn~?" The redhead stroked the fabric with wisp like touches, his regular now having to grit his teeth from screaming out. "What's this Dei, already so excited?"

The blonde's flushed face glared, making him chuckle.

The elder slipped the boxers down and ran his tongue along the twitching flesh, the moan coming from above being instant. "I wouldn't be making any cruel faces Dei… unless you don't want me to do this…"

Deidara was engulfed. He soon was sucked on like a lollipop with an energetic tongue. But then he discovered the most amazing and sinfully delicious thing.

Danna could fucking deep throat.

If the feeling of him being swallowed almost completely and being sucked on this hard didn't make him cum, the fact Danna was doing it definitely sent him over the edge. The sounds the redhead made though as he swallowed were just so pleasing that he started to grow hard again as soon his length fell out of the other's mouth, limp.

"Hmm… your quite a delicacy Dei." Sasori said licking a droplet of the gleaming substance at the corner of his lips.

The blonde blushed claret; the only words his mind was able to process being…

So. God. Damn. Beautiful.

Deidara raised the other and kissed them with hell fire spreading. They even started to slide down the stone wall to the gravel. Sweat lessening the friction, but the blonde knew he would still have scratches. "Fuck me…" he whispered in-between breaths. "Please, un…"

"Of course," the elder smirked. "I hate to keep people waiting, after all."

Lips were replaced by fingers quickly and he took the digits in with welcome. Silvia drenching them easily as he sucked on them. While he worked on the appendages in his mouth, his hands tugged on Sasori's pants, desire and lust drowning his mind.

The redhead compensated though and undid his pants, his boxers soon dropping to the gravel also. Deidara stared at the other's erect member, letting the fingers in his mouth drop out at the sight. God he just wanted to be fucked. But apparently he had no say in the matter… A finger prodded his entrance and began to move. He groaned and forced his body to relax. The second finger entered him and he began to feel uncomfortable as he was stretched. Finally the third finger entered and pain was vaguely creeping up on him. The digits moved in and out, all the while preparing him for something much bigger.

"Think you're ready Dei-chan?" The velvet voice made his shiver in anticipation.

"U… U-un."

The fingers left him and something else started to enter his body. He hissed and raised his hips as high as he could. His ass still wasn't used to this feeling. It was uncomfortable, and almost unsettling. But once he nodded, the elder started to move.

Sasori did so slowly, soon gaining a rhythm that sped up quickly, it only took five thrusts to find the other's prostate. The blonde grabbed onto him, digging his nails into the link between his neck and shoulder blades. He continued to hit that spot, the young man below moaning his name. The walls grew tighter around him in the heat and something started to build up tightly inside of him.

"Danna…" Deidara's voice quivered in a soft whisper, the redhead understanding fully.

The elder started to pump him, the pleasure so immense he only saw white.

"Danna!" He came over their torso's, Sasori coming in three more thrusts.

At first they stilled to catch their breath. Almost to soon though, the elder pulled out of him, gathered their clothes, and guided him into the puppet. He watched as the redhead's fingers twitched, the top of Hiruko closing to the point there was only a sliver of moonlight in the dark. Deidara then curled up against the other's chest, already feeling sleep pressing onto his lids.

But Sasori kept moving. His fingers twitching in an awkward movements until a small compartment in the puppet opened. He pulled out an object and admired it for a moment. Then he took the chain the object was connected to, and slid it over Deidara's neck.

"Hn?" The blonde looked down with sleepy eyes at the was connect to the chain. It was a large, gray stone skeleton key. It was cool to the touch, and at the top was a ruby scorpion, ready to strike. "What's this…?"

"Keep it for eternity, Deidara," Sasori whispered past his ear. "If a time should ever come that this should be used, I'm trusting you with my heart."

"Alright… Danna, un…"

And then Deidara drifted off to sleep, happy his Danna was holding him.


	26. Suicidal Operators

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own squat ya dingalows!**

**A/N: Hey, these next two chapters are gonna be a little different and smaller guys. Okay, a lot smaller (by the way, last chap was the longest ever!), but this is changin' things up a but so I thought it be nice.**

**But I have a REQUEST to all my LOVELY readers. If you guys like Kuroshitsuji, and are a SebXCiel fan, can you guys PLEASE go read my friend's story? She's an AMAZING writer and though she is a bum(a bigger bum than me), she wrote a FANTASTIC one-shot and she's only a few reviews from getting 30, and she wants to hit 30 so bad. Literally, she's almost as bad as me when I was waiting for my 100 fav. (which I finally got my the way XD)!**

**PLEASE read and review her story if you get a chance. Her name is Manquez Sardonique and her story is Winter Chills. I'm basically risking losing all of you guys cause my writing can't even compare to her descriptive flow. So I'm being brave and sincerely asking you to please check out her story as a favor! … Just don't tell her I sent you…**

**From an author that is trying to be a good friend-**

**Teiden~**

**(P.S. Sorry if this chapter seems a bit crack-ish at a certain point… I just couldn't help it, and there is a reason behind it!)**

DAY 59 - TUESDAY - 10:05 P.M

Kisame sat in his chair on fifty-third floor of the Intercity Communications Tower. His shift had just started five minuets ago and Kakuzu had gotten his regular right on the dot, which made the stitch man more or less annoyed. So now he waited for his own regular to call, a hot cup of coffee with cream for comfort and his laptop for company. It was strange though. Itachi usually didn't take long too-

_RING! RING! RING!_

"Ah, think of an angel, and they shall be there." Kisame chuckled and picked up his phone. "Y'ello."

"Hello, Kisame."

"Ay Itachi. Glad ya finally got used to callin' me 'Kisame'."

"Hn."

"So how was your day?"

"One of my professors suggested me for a company over seas. He said my last completed assignment peeked the interests of many other corporations."

"Well that's good Itachi."

"I have no interest in any of them."

Kisame chuckled dryly, "Well, it seems that a lot of things are that way for you."

"The world could offer better things."

"Huh," the blue man zoned out for a moment. "You say that a lot. But what do you really want to do?"

"…"

Kisame smiled. Ever since he got this job half a year ago as a cover, he had only talked to Itachi. At first he could barley get a word out of the boy, but then once he started opening up, the sharp tooth man had actually been intrigued. He had heard of the Uchiha massacre, and the boy he was currently talking with probably never would of thought that it would of reached this far over seas. But his real job…, it aloud him to know of such a thing. And so he wondered, why would a kid that killed his entire family call a suicide hotline? He wasn't judging the man through the line, after all, he did kill for a living, but he had always been curious.

"I would still like to meet you."

"…" he paused for good reason. Itachi had been wanting to meet him for the past month. And…

"I have been talking to you for six months, and I have never seen your face."

A valid point. But it was unusual to be talking to a suicide hotline operator for that long of time, though. Every night at that since them too. Plus…

"It is rare to get me to talk so much. Not many can do it."

Well, it was obvious the guy wasn't a natural talker, he guessed but, you weren't…

"You also know more about me than anyone breathing."

That he could believe but…

You're not aloud to get close to a regular.

This rule killed him. At first he thought it was stupid and that no one would ever take an interest in someone suicidal. But he had been wrong. So regretfully wrong.

"Kisame."

The blue man jumped out of his daze. "Huh?"

"I'm going to be having coffee with some friends tomorrow. If you are free sometime from noon to one, walk down South James street."

Kisame sighed. Honestly, how could someone have such a dead monotone? Even Sasori showed some form of emotion every now and then. And now with Deidara around, it wasn't that hard to catch a glimpse of something human in the puppeteer now.

But it wasn't likely that Kisame was going to get a chance to do such a thing. He and Kakuzu were supposed to meet the redhead and his little blonde around that time for lunch. He couldn't remember where he was meeting the two, but he had written it down back at the apartment so he didn't worry. It was depressing though, that he couldn't even get a chance to see what Itachi looked like.

"I'll see what I can do," he said even still. "I may just do that."

"You're lying."

"Huh?"

"You're lying. I can tell."

"I'm not lying, Itachi."

"Yes, you are."

Kisame paused. This kid really was something. He always managed to leave the shark like man flabbergasted in some form. But this was…

"How could you tell?"

"Your tone dulled."

"Really now?"

"Hn."

The blue man laughed quietly in his chest. This kid really was something, he'd give them that. "Ne, you really are a prodigy aren't ya?"

"What?"

Kisame swore under his breath when he let that slip. He had never told Itachi that he knew about his past. He was afraid that the trust he had been given would vanish if he let his regular know. Hell, if he told the other he knew, there was a good chance that he'd never call again. But what now? If he didn't tell Itachi that he knew, wouldn't all the trust be misplaced?

"You know something."

"What do you think I know?"

"Do not act childish. You know of my past."

The operator sighed. What was the point in hiding it now? "Yes, I know of your past. I've known since you told me your name when we first started talking."

"And you didn't call the police." It wasn't a question. It almost sounded as if Itachi was surprised. Well, as surprised as Itachi could get that is.

"Apparently."

"Hn…"

"Yeah…"

Silence enveloped them, and believe or not, silence in a phone call is much more awkward then in person sometimes. So the both of them waited for the other to say something. Neither showing any sign to take the initiative, Kisame started to sip his coffee quietly. It calmed his nerves considerably, and even managed to simplify his mind. But then something was said that he would of never expected from his regular.

"Thank you, Kisame."

Jumping a little at the small phrase, he became awed. "No problem? I didn't really think of calling the police at all though…"

"I did not mean that."

"Oh," he raised an eyebrow. "What did you mean then?"

"I said thank you to you because you continued to speak to me."

Kisame, dubbed mutated monster and soulless killer, felt his lips stretch into a smile. Never in his life had anyone said thank you to him in such a way. And even though the other spoke with a dead voice that had every drop of emotion dried out of it, he could hear the sincerity in it. And he almost… He almost felt thankful to the kid for saying that. Not just because he had never heard such words, but because he had never felt so… noticed… Was the word, he supposed. So with a light hearted grin, he amused himself further.

"You're welcome, Itachi."

DAY 59 - TUESDAY - 11:36 P.M.

"For the last god damn time, there is no such thing as Jashin!"

"The hell there is! And because you won't covert, the first time I set my eyes on your ugly face, I'm gonna sacrifice your sorry ass just so you can see Jashin your self!"

"When would you ever see me? And why the fuck do you keep calling me if you just want to rant about your so called 'god'?"

"You ass! If you're so tired of talking to me, why don't you change your line?"

"What?"

"I know you can! I looked it up two months ago. So if your so annoyed and tired of talking to me, why don't you change your call line?"

"Because no one deserves to hear all your nonsense!"

Kakuzu growled almost, his nails drawing deeper holes into the wood of his desk. This absolutely was the most frustrating job he had ever had…

"Oh you bastard… the day I get my hands on you… you shall suffer Jashin's wrath!"

The dial tone sounded and Kakuzu slammed the phone down on it's receiver. Was it seriously worth the torture, this job? He groaned and leaned back in his chair. Was it worth it…?

_RING! RING! RING!_

Kakuzu looked back down at the phone. Was it maybe someone who actually had problems, besides an unstable sanity? Or a prank call? It couldn't possibly be Hidan again could it…?

He picked up the phone slowly like in one of those bad horror movies with a stupid blonde bitch 'acting' like she was scared. But when he put the phone to his ear…

"Hello?"

"Why in God's name did you hang up on me?"

When he was about to retort, Kakuzu noticed it wasn't Hidan's voice, and that the other person didn't say Jashin. Meaning it couldn't be his regular… so who?

"Where did you get the _gall_ to break of with _me _after an entire year!"

Yeah, Hidan may be a pain in the ass to him, but he wasn't a bitch.

"Ma'am, I think you have the wrong number…"

"Don't you dare try and trick me again Stanley! I know this is your number just as well as I know you've been cheating on me with my sister, Angela! But guess what? I've been cheating on you with your brother, Vic! We even had a threesome with your father. So just because you left me at the alter doesn't mean you won! The only reason I stayed with you was because you were rich anyway. So go smoke that you bald bastard!"

The dial tone came again and Kakuzu put the phone down gingerly. He waited. And waited. And waited. Until finally…

"Kisame?" He called for the blue man.

"Yeah?"

"Advil."

"On it."

He heard his friend enter another room on the floor. Once the door closed though, he laid his head on the desk. "What a night," he muttered gulping down half his coffee.

This most recent encounter reminded him exactly why he hated women. Hell, why he hated the whole female species. They were impractical and unreasonable. Needy and useless. And above all, they were the biggest money drain the world had ever seen. From their endless shopping, expensive taste, and tiny shit ass dogs that are tortured by wearing hideous sweaters. They were nothing but a complete pain and that was exactly why he had no interest in them in any way shape or form. It was just a shame all of them still walked the earth.

_RING! RING! RING!_

Kakuzu stared at his phone, asking himself the ultimate question…

Why him?

Groaning and taking another deep drink of his coffee, he picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"… What in Jashin happened to you? You sound like ya got hit by a bus…"

"Why did you call back?" He asked, secretly happy it was Hidan and not the woman that had called him before.

"I decided I didn't like your reason."

"What reason?"

"Why you just didn't change your line."

Kakuzu stopped for a second. He knew Hidan well enough by now to know that he would never hear the end of it if not given a proper answer. "…I told you, no one deserves to hear all of your nonsense."

"And I don't believe you."

"Tough shit."

"Kakuzu, you bastard! Why?"

"I already told you…" he grumbled and took the last drink of his coffee.

Where was Kisame with that Advil?

"Well I don't believe you."

"Again, tough shit."

"Jashin damn you!"

"I'm already damned, doesn't matter if its by your god or another."

"Whatever, like I care." There was a pause, and then something that sounded like a puff of air. "I'm turning in. I still think you're lying but I'll figure it out. That, 'no one deserves to hear your nonsense' shit isn't going to fly forever." His regular chuckled, making him relax into his chair at the sound. "G'night bastard."

"Good night asshole."

Kakuzu placed the phone down for the last time that night, noticing a note posted to his wall…

'Kakuzu-

We were out of Advil and since I saw how busy you were with your regular, I locked everything up and put another cup of coffee by the elevator. See you in the morning. And don't forget we're both meeting Sasori for lunch.

Kisame-'

The stitch man groaned. That was right, he was supposed to meet Sasori and Deidara for lunch tomorrow. Great. He flexed his muscles and went to gather his things, the phone becoming level with his line of sight just for a moment. The picture of the phone in his mind made him think for a second. A thought passed him, making him laugh wryly.

"Well, its more like I think no one deserves you at all, Hidan."

With the dull laugh echoing, he grabbed his things and took the cup of new coffee by the elevator.

It had been a long night.


	27. Regular Suicides

**DISCLAMINER: No, don't own anything. And yes, I'm fast!**

**A/N: Ello lovelies! Thank you to those of you that checked out my friend's fic, she was amazingly happy and got more inspired to write (which I've been waiting ages to see happen). But if the last chapter was about Kisame and Kakuzu, who is this chapter about hmm? Lolz. Most of you guys already have an idea of what's going to happen.**

**But I'm real excited for the next chapter after this. I'm anticipating it to be fun to write, so look forward to it! **

**And let me know if I did Itachi and Hidan alright in this chap. You guys say all the time how much you like how I do Sasori and Dei, and I think I did okay on Kisame and Kakuzu. But think of this as a practice run and I'll develop them more as I go along. Input be nice though!**

**From your precious writer who would like to remind you to NOT make Hidan your role model. Sorry Hidan fans, please do not stab yourself unless your reason is justified :D**

**Teiden~**

DAY 59 – TUESDAY – 10:03 P.M

Itachi laid his book down in his lap. He was laying in his bed with his small bedside lamp being the only light in the room. Hidan had left a while ago to do his nightly sacrifice and wouldn't be back until much later. This was perhaps the only time in the day he received true quiet, and he used this time wisely. For the past half year, he had been in contact with someone that worked for Suicide Hotline service for the city, and he had been talking to the man ever since.

Now he wasn't really suicidal. He had actually called the number by mistake originally. But there was something about the man on the other end of the line that made him trust him for some reason. Maybe it was because of his attitude and how he had no clue who he truly was. And despite that he usually kept to himself, the man known as Kisame could actually make him talk very easily.

Even about his family, and that was no simple task.

So he dialed the number by memory as he did every night and waited only three rings to get an answer.

"Y'ello."

"Hello, Kisame."

"Ay Itachi. Glad ya finally got used to callin' me 'Kisame'."

He had to get used to it, the man had basically insisted that he spoke to him with no formalities. "Hn."

"So how was your day?"

This was the question Kisame often asked. Usually he would say 'uninteresting', or a synonym to that particular word. But he actually had something to say today.

"One of my professors suggested me for a company over seas. He said my last completed assignment peaked the interests of many other corporations."

"Well that's good Itachi."

"I have no interest in any of them," he said flipping the page of his book.

The man chuckled on the other end. "Well, it seems that a lot of things are that way for you."

"The world could offer better things."

For him, this was true.

"Huh," the blue man zoned out for a moment. "You say that a lot. But what do you really want to do?"

"…" He knew what he wanted to do. He knew exactly as a matter of fact. But his past would catch up to him if he did anything important as such, so most occupations were ruled out when it came to the future.

The man on the other end was doing it again though. His operator, for whatever reason, made him want to speak his will. Whether from his lax mood or good natured sense, Kisame made him want to voice his mind more than usual. But he knew better. If he mentioned even the slightest bit of his past, he would most likely get the FBI called on him immediately. Either that or the other man would simply not speak to him again and leave him be. And that he most certainly did not want. Kisame was probably the only sane and mature company he had in the entire city. High school had been useless and college even more so since he already knew everything they had offered to 'teach' him. Hidan had become his roommate, and already knowing the boy from previous years, he had adapted to living with the man. So it wasn't like he was at a complete loss, but some forms of calm interaction were always appreciated, and Kisame gave that to him.

It was strange to him though. They had spoken to each other everyday for the past six months for around two hours each night, and yet they had never met face to face. Now it wasn't like he anticipated talking to the other man for such a long time, but he was now comfortable with the man, and he almost felt rude just speaking through the phone. He had been asking for a while now if they could meet face to face. And even though the raven hair was interested in meeting the other man, he had already made plans to meet Deidara tomorrow. Perhaps…?

"I would still like to meet you."

"…" There was a pause, so he perused further.

"I have been talking to you for six months, and I have never seen your face." Still no answer came, but he couldn't tell if the man was unsure or weakening in resolve. So he added another fact. "It is rare to get me to talk so much. Not many can do it."

Just a bit more…

"You also know more about me than any breathing human most likely."

This was a fact sadly true in most cases. Deidara and Hidan knew more than they probably realized, but Kisame, a man he barely knew at all, could answer many things about his family, his interests and a few other miscellaneous things.

"Kisame."

"Huh?" The man sounded as if he snapped out of a trance.

"I'm going to be having coffee with some friends tomorrow. If you are free sometime from noon to one, walk down South James street."

Kisame sighed. "I'll see what I can do," he could imagine the man smiling. "I may just do that."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, even though they could not be seen by the other.

"You're lying."

"Huh?"

The raven hair slowed his words. "You're lying. I can tell."

"I'm not lying, Itachi." Kisame tried to reassure him.

"Yes, you are."

The man on the other end stopped for a moment. The truth coming in the next second.

"How could you tell?"

"Your tone dulled."

"Really now?"

"Hn."

Kisame chuckled, almost seeming tired. But then he said something that put Itachi on his edge. "Ne, you really are a prodigy aren't ya?"

"What did you say?" He had been the single prodigy out of his entire family.

His slaughtered family.

He didn't give Kisame time to think of excuses. "You know something."

"What do you think I know?"

Itachi's muscles tensed and his eyes darkened. He became aware of everything in that one moment. The emptiness of the room. The sounds from outside and in the hallway. The stillness of the air. And most importantly, every little change in Kisame's voice.

"Do not act childish. You know of my past."

The man sighed, Itachi no longer knowing if he should tense further or relax.

"Yes, I know of your past. I've known since you told me your name when we first started talking."

"And you didn't call the police."

This was the only thing he could think of. He could almost say he was thrown off. If the man honestly knew of his past, he would know he murdered his entire family with a single exception. He had then fled his home country and found some place inconspicuous to live. And this man… still continued to speak to him even still?

"Apparently."

"Hn…"

"Yeah…"

Silence over took them, Itachi thinking over the many questions he wanted to ask the man. How did he know? Did others know also? Was he being tracked? No, he had been careful of that. But even still, the man had not turned him in? Why, and for what reason?

Though he wanted these answered, he also had something else to say.

"Thank you, Kisame."

"No problem? I didn't really think of calling the police at all though…"

"I did not mean that."

"Oh," he sounded dumbfounded. "What did you mean then?"

"I said thank you to you because you continued to talk to me."

Kisame laugh, deep from his chest with a warm sense; almost making the Uchiha second guess himself slightly. But then the man said something that reassured the trust he had given him…

"You're welcome, Itachi."

DAY 59 – TUESDAY – 11:36 P.M.

Hidan had left the his roommate, Itachi, alone for the night like he always did. He had left by 9:30 so he could do his sacrifice and finish up by 10:00. He had done so successfully and was able to call a certain operator right on time, which he knew annoyed the man. His therapist who was a damn prick (and most likely a child molester) told him to call the Suicide Hotline because he supposedly had more problems than any human should mentally have.

But he was not fucking crazy! He was just loyal to Jashin-sama.

Which brought him to the current conversation with his operator.

"For the last god damn time, there is no such thing as Jashin!"

"The hell there is! And because you wont covert, the first time I set my eyes on your ugly face I'm gonna sacrifice your sorry ass just so you can see Jashin your self!"

"When would you ever see me? And why the fuck do you keep calling me if you just want to rant about your so called 'god'?"

Kakuzu was pushing it tonight. "You ass! If you're so tired of talking to me, why don't you change your line?"

"What?"

"I know you can! I looked it up two months ago. So if you're so annoyed and tired of talking to me, why don't you change your call line?"

"Because no one deserves to hear all your nonsense!"

Hidan slammed his blood stained fist against the brick of the near by building. The damn miser thought money was more important than EVERYTHING. Including Jashin-sama, which pissed him off to no end.

"Oh you bastard… the day I get my hands on you… you shall suffer Jashin's wrath!"

He slammed his phone shut and pushed himself back so his head would slam against the hard ground. This action sent a raw shiver of bliss down his spine and he grinned.

"Thank you Jashin-sama."

He laughed airily and looked up at the stars for a while, sending silent prayers of gratitude to Jashin. This brought him back to Kakuzu. The bastard either needed to convert of be sacrificed soon, cause his attitude was getting annoying.

Did the man just not believe in Jashin?

Hidan looked over to the blood covered grass that was in the shape of an upside-down triangle in a circle. The symbol of Jashin. Inside of that was something that _used_ to be a bunny and the stake he used to take it's heathen soul. He stood up and walked over to the stake and pick it up. He wiped the remaining blood off of it and twirled it in his fingers quickly, smirking.

He then raised it and stabbed it right into his shoulder. His entire arm and torso suddenly pulsing in pleasure as warm blood covered his skin.

Hidan moaned and fell back into the grass again, the stake still in his shoulder.

"Jashin-sama…" he smiled, then raised his finger to sky and started laughing at the heavens. "Ha! Take that you bastard, Jashin-sama exists and this is proof!" He pointed to his shoulder. Suddenly taking out the stake then, he lunged up and threw it at the sky again and out of sight.

He continued to laugh though, also becoming a little light headed. "Stupid bastard…"

Hidan laid there until he stopped bleeding, his thoughts going back to his operator for some reason. Why did the man not change his call line? If he really hated talking to him so much, he could of very easily changed the line number so he would never have to talk to him most likely.

"That bastard is full of shit!" Hidan shot up and started dialing away at the number. When he did get an answer though, Kakuzu sounded dead…

"Hello?"

"…What in Jashin happened to you? You sound like ya got hit by a bus…"

"…Why did you call back?"

"I decided I didn't like your reason."

"What reason?"

Hidan rolled his eyes, now the bastard was going to play dumb?

"Why you just didn't change your line."

There was a second of silence, the other man probably considering his words carefully. "…I told you, no one deserves to hear all your nonsense."

"And I don't believe you."

"Tough shit."

And then, new anger was reborn. "Kakuzu, you bastard! Why?"

"I already told you."

"Well I don't believe you," he countered.

"Again, tough shit."

"Jashin damn you!"

"I'm already damned, doesn't matter if its by your god or another."

"Whatever, like I care." He paused, the other's words calming him for some reason. Hidan's eyes started to sink and his body started to feel heavy. Like every night, his body was starting to get tired from his ritual. So he had to rap this up. "I'm turning in. I still think you're lying but I'll figure it out. That 'no one deserves to hear your nonsense' shit isn't going to fly forever." He chuckled. "G'night bastard."

"Good night asshole."

Snapping his phone shut for the last time that night, he stood up and stretched, Kakuzu's goodbye making him grin.

He reentered the college dorms and went up the right number of stairs to find his room. Using the key, he found Itachi was still awake and reading his book.

"Hey," he waved his hand lazily.

"Hn," the other man said turning a page in his book.

"Ya know, you're gonna have to give me all the definitions one day of what 'hn' can mean."

"Hn."

"Yeah, whatever." Hidan crawled into his bed, already feeling sleep rocking him.

"Don't forget we are meeting Deidara for lunch tomorrow. He says he's going to explain in detail what exactly he wants us to help with. So do not sleep in."

"Yeah, yeah…" Hidan let Itachi's drone voice sink in...

Finally letting his body relax into sleep.


	28. Bonding?

**DISCLAMINER: *Head bangs to A Day To Remember***

**A/N: Ah, the fun chapter has arrived. I haven't been this excited since… I don't know. Since I decided to add depth to my story and throw in KisaIta and KakuHida. Ah yes, that was a marvelous day.**

**BUT WHAT THE F*CK? I noticed I've been spelling Hiruko like… **_**Hiriko**_**? How did none of you call me out of that? Seriously… yell at me every now and then dudes. You already know I'm not the best at editing, so… Seriously? Just… come on… I wish I had a BETA… T^T**

**But tell me how I did on their characters! Kakuzu, Hidan, Kisame and Itachi I mean. I kinda… made them bond in a strange way but… hell, it was just fun to write. And their devolpement will progress, so do not fret if I totally fail. =_='**

**From the girl that got a II on her solo (which isn't quite bad considering how much I actually practiced…)**

**Teiden~**

DAY 60 – WENDSDAY – 11:46 A.M.

Sasori and an irritated Deidara turned a corner to see the café they planned to have coffee at. Deidara, already feeling the stares from men hitting him like daggers, was already ticking. The blonde was dressed like a girl, _again_, and was even a step or two further this time with his new ensemble. He was wearing a pair of black Convers that laced up to his knees. He also wore a coal T-shirt that said 'The Bands's Bitch' along with some wrist bands and bangles. And even though he had not been aloud to wear his half pony tail, it wasn't any of these things that bugged him. It was the dark, ruffled, literally short ass skirt that Sasori had picked out for him.

"Remind me again…" the blonde growled low so he wouldn't gain extra attention. "Why do you like to make me wear such damn short skirts, un?"

Sasori looked at him out of the corner of his eye, his expression not changing even the slightest. So while Deidara focused on his face, he didn't notice the puppeteer's hand slip out of his pocket and slide up his skirt to grope his ass, making the hair even on his skull stand up like a cat's.

"I told you brat," the redhead smirked. "Easy ass access."

The younger nodded quickly. Holding in his mewl was one thing, controlling his blush was another.

"Danna…" he shivered. "Not… Here, un."

Sasori sighed and removed his hand. "Fine, but when we get back, I'm treating you."

His blush grew but he also snickered. It seemed that these skirts and dresses Sasori put him in was some sort of a fetish the elder had.

"Good afternoon!" A voice caught their attention and a waitress from the café. "Would you like to sit outside today?"

"Yes," Sasori answered. "We will also be having some more friends joining us."

"Oh that's fine. Grab as many chairs as you want and take a seat at one of the white tables. I'll be right with you to see what ya like." She moved inside the opened door café and went to deliver someone else's order.

The two artists picked a decent table, grabbing four other chairs for the men that were arriving soon enough, to then take a seat themselves. Deidara was giddy in his mind, his imaginary tail moving coyly. This was certainly going to be an interesting afternoon.

"We're not going to tell them, are we?" By now he knew of the relation between Kisame and Itachi, and Kakuzu and Hidan. And even if he didn't, it wasn't that hard to figure out.

The elder snickered. "Of course not."

"Good," he let his mischievous grin show. "It wouldn't be as fun if we didn't let them figure it out for themselves, un."

"Hey," the waitress said arriving at their table. "Do you know what you want?"

"Hn." Sasori nodded, skimming over the small menu on the table quickly. "I'll have a Straight Black Coffin. I'll also get a Clear Shot with sugar on the side and a Whipped Dollar with no cream."

The blonde gave him a questionable look as the waitress wrote down the order.

"I'm ordering for Kisame and Kakuzu. Don't you think you should do the same?"

Oh, now he was caught up.

"And for you miss?"

"Ah…" He tried to make his voice more feminine. "I'll have a Caramel Surge and for my friends… a Deadly Mix and a Sober Shot with sugar on the side, un."

"Alright! Be out in a jiff. Will your friends be here by then or should I just wait and bring them out when they get here?"

"Just bring them out at the same time," Sasori said handing her the menu.

"Kay'. Be right back."

She left the two artists alone. Sasori looked to his right though, and as soon as she went back inside, he saw Kisame and Kakuzu coming towards them.

"Remember," Sasori whispered to the blonde. "Try to keep talking so no one else has too."

"Un," he nodded.

"Hey Sasori," Kisame waved at them with a grin. "And… Deidara."

"Shut it Kisame, un," he said with an unamused look as they sat down.

"Are we going to make this quick, I was gonna try and do something and I'm not sure where I even am." The blue man laughed awkwardly.

"We're at the Fantasy Café on South James street, Kisame," Kakuzu answered with his arms crossed.

Kisame blinked. "Really?"

"Un."

"Huh…"

"Deidara," Sasori got his attention.

"Hn?"

"Aren't those your friends over there?" The redhead was pointing down the left side of the street, where Itachi and a loud Hidan were walking towards them from the previous block.

"Hn… I'll go meet them, un."

He left the table trying not to get his skirt to ride up. Honestly, he understood the need for not being recognized by the public. But this was just twisted…

When he got close enough to the two college students, he went to wave.

"Hey, gu-" But they walked right past him.

Damn it, did he really look _that_ much like a fucking woman?

"Hey!" He ran up behind them, but all that got him was the both of them grabbing his wrist. Itachi looking superior and Hidan ready to explode.

"What do you want you bitch?" The violet eyed man screamed.

He narrowed his eyes. "You asshole. It's me, un."

The two men became dumbfounded.

"Deidara…?"

"Blondie…?"

There was a pause between the three of them. But it was broken by Hidan's uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh my Jashin! This has to be best thing ever! Shit, where's my camera?"

"Deidara… I know you've always had feminine features but this is quite over doing it…"

"Shut it Itachi! You're no better, un. You even fucking act like a woman."

"At least he doesn't dress like one!" Hidan took a picture of him with his phone.

The blonde growled and grabbed their arms. He led them to the table were the three operators were giving them inquiring glances.

"Sit." He pushed the two college students down into their chairs, but they weren't really paying attention to him. Deidara had purposely sat them across from their operators, and the four men seemed to be studying each other in their own ways. But they still hadn't spoken yet. Which was a bonus in all rights.

The waitress reappeared then.

"Alrighty then! Lets see… I bet my waitress skills can figure this out!" She giggled and swung her tray of coffee around to waist level. "Straight Coffin goes to you," she placed the tall black mug with a cross on it in front of Sasori. "A Clear Shot with sugar on the side… I have a feeling this one goes to you," she placed a round, white and light blue mug next to Kisame. "And the Whipped Dollar with no cream seems fitting for you," she place a fat tan mug in front of Kakuzu. "Now for you three! A Sober Shot with sugar on the side must go to you," she placed an oval, red and cream mug in front of Itachi. "A Deadly Mix for you sir," she placed another coffin mug on the table next to Hidan, only this time the cross was purple. "Lastly, a Caramel Surge for the Miss of the table," she placed a tall white cup with swirls on it next to Deidara, who's eye twitched when he was called 'Miss'…

"Did I get that right?" She asked Sasori.

"Perfectly, that will be all now."

"Alright, holler if ya need. I'll just be inside." She left with a smile and a wave of her pen.

Even though she called him a woman, (which he couldn't complain to much about because he was supposed to be a girl) she was a good waitress and he would have to give her a big tip.

The four other men of the table were giving their coffee looks though, and it was rather amusing.

"It's not poisoned," Sasori reassured Kisame and Kakuzu.

"We just ordered it for you cause we know what you like, un."

They stared at the cups for a while. Finally Itachi, wordlessly of course, picked up his cup and took a sip. Nodding in approval, they all began to test their own cups, finding it satisfactory enough.

"Now that you're here, un," Deidara grinned. "How would you like to hear a full detailed summary of how much shit I've gotten myself into, hn?"

The table shared similar sneers and quiet dark laughter, the exceptions being Sasori and Itachi since they were just plain hard asses. But they told their story. Deidara going first how he called Sasori for a couple of nights, even mentioning the chance encounter they shared. Then Sasori took his turn telling about how he found the blonde on his door step and how he introduced him to the fellow attendants. They went back and forth describing the night they destroyed Itazura's home and how Cherry gave them the idea of crashing the meeting of gang leaders after they found out she wasn't dead.

The elder of the artists took care in not explaining the relationship between himself and Uragirimono. Deidara also did not bring it up.

They told of how they came into the hands of the Kyoko and how things devolved from there to where they gained the trust of all the gangs. And when it came to where Deidara was tortured by the white haired fuck, they played with words carefully, each not wanting to relive the experience. That brought them up to the current moment after his recovery, and there was only one thing left to discuss.

What they were to do now.

"We want your help to get rid of these two," Sasori spoke taking the last gulp of his coffee. "And to do that, we need people we can trust."

"Meaning you four, un," Deidara smiled using his girl voice, which was getting better despite his discontent…

"What's in it for us?" Kakuzu and Hidan spoke at the same time, making their head's snap across the table to stare at each other. It took them a minute, but the two of them suddenly stood and pointed at each other.

"Bastard!" They shouted at each other in unison.

The artists began to laugh quiet to themselves, the other two standing men glaring at them.

"You knew, didn't you blondie?" Hidan grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and held him there until he stopped laughing.

"Hn? I'm not sure what your talking about Hidan, un." His grin was wicked. A tease.

"Ya asswipe!" He let the blonde fall back into his chair. The silvered haired man moved quickly. He grabbed the back of Kakuzu's shirt and pulled him down the street, their yells and threats were audiable from blocks on.

Kisame stared a little confused as the two men as they disappeared, but Sasori and Deidara continued to speak.

"That was entertaining."

"Un, but I personally thought Itachi be the first to figure it out."

"Huh?" the shark man looked at them, trying to find some sense.

The raven hair gave him an elegant glance. He had been holding his warm mug and decided to take another drink. Once done, he allowed his eyes to cross the blue man before him who was still lost.

"Hello, Kisame," Itachi said taking another drink.

"… Never mind, the asshole's reputation still upholds him, un…"

Though the blonde spoke, Itachi nor Kisame heard him. Their eyes were locked.

Then, with out a word, they stood and left the table, walking down the street side by side quietly.

"…Do you think they're still going to help us Danna?" He asked.

"It depends on them. And how they work out their relationships."

"Un…"

1:11 P.M.

They were both beaten bloody in the cold ally. Hidan had tried to convert him at first, but then the little crazy shit tried to sacrifice him, which caused them to fight and yell even more. He never suspected much resistance, but who knew the man had some muscle? Of course he was stronger, but he never expected that much of a struggle.

Now they leaned against opposite brick walls, panting and giving nasty looks to each other. They were waiting to see who would break first he supposed. To see if they were continue or just walk away.

Hidan started to slide down the wall. He tried to support himself at first, but then his expression filled with pain and his hand went to cover his shoulder.

"Fuck…" blood started to pour from an open wound near his shoulder. The stitch man remembered sending his elbow down to try and break something around that area, but this seemed to be a reopened scar.

"You probably tore your Subscapularis," he suggested.

"What…?" Hidan panted trying to stop the blood.

"It's a tendon in your shoulder," he took a few steps forward. "You can stop the bleeding if-"

"Don't take a step closer bastard!"

He stopped, observing the weary college student. Hidan could barely stand and he couldn't catch his breath. While he stood in place, still observing, the silver haired man slid all the way down to the ground, his head hanging.

Kakuzu crossed the space and removed his hand.

"Didn't… I say… not to come…" he breathed in. "Any closer…?"

"Do you want to pass out from blood loss? And I was right, you also ripped your Supraspinatus and Teres minor tendons."

"…I have no idea what you just said."

A shock wave of pain made him grit his teeth and close his eye's tight as Kakuzu examined him further.

"Short version? You almost took off you're entire arm."

"Gee, thanks Doctor Obvious," Hidan rolled his eyes, but the larger man made a movement on purpose to cause him to take a sharp breath in.

"Easy fix, but I'm not sure how you got this in the first place. Hold still." Kakuzu removed a long stitch from the palm of his hand. It was a simple and replaceable one so it didn't matter if he lost it for the time being. He then took a needle from inside his pants pocket he always carried around just in case, and threaded it. Uncharacteristically during this transaction, Hidan stayed quiet while his flesh was pulled back together.

"There, all you can do now is wait for them to rejoin." He gave the man in front of him a pat on the shoulder, but he cried out.

"Don't _fucking_ do that!"

"What, are you an idiot now? You may be in pain, but for someone who stabs themselves, this should be nothing." After saying that sentence, Kakuzu had a feeling he knew how Hidan got the scar.

"No, not that," The violet eyed man hissed. "Something else hurts you dumbass…"

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. Slowly, he moved his finger tips across the other's shoulder, and then moved down just slightly. Hidan jerked away from him with a gasp, but he grabbed on to him and held him still. "You've cracked your Cavicle."

"No! This one was all you. _You _cracked my… whatever the Jashin you called it!"

"I did, did I?"

"Yeah, right after you knocked the hell out of stomach," he laughed. "That was a pretty good hit."

"I think you did worse to my forearm. But a simple sling for a week or so would do just fine."

"Chih… Stupid bastard. Beats the shit out of me and then turns into my doctor…" Hidan tried to cross his arms, but failed when the pain made him shudder. "I really need to give Jashin a big ass sacrifice tonight."

"Whatever."

They started to get up, but shadows were cast over them. A group of about ten men were standing in the mouth of the ally. One in particular was standing in front, twirling a knife in his hand.

"What's this boys? It seems there was a little fight here."

"Think we should mug'm boss?"

"Bet they have something of value on them…"

"It's a good guess," the leader eyed them closer.

"Kakuzu?" Hidan interrupted them. "Are they stupid, or just plain bastards?"

"I'd say both…" the larger man turned to the group of thugs. "They don't seem to be worth anything."

"What did you say ass? Our leader Shinko Yaminkuto is worth more on the black market than all of our lives!" One of them screeched.

"Calm down Kenru, we attack as one, remember? And there's no need to boast for me." The leader sneered. "Anyway, just give us all your valuables and we'll leave you two alone."

"Drop dead," Hidan narrowed his eyes, the pain he was receiving making him irritable.

The leader grimaced. "Get'm boys."

The men charged at them, Kakuzu knocking the first two out easily by racking his forearms against their throats. Hidan followed by taking a man in a spin kick and slamming his head into the brick wall with a trail of blood and spit to follow. The larger man jumped as a scrawny fellow tried to go for his knees, Hidan recuperated with this by kicking the man in the jaw and sending him down with a sickening crack. They moved quickly as four men came at them all at once. For this, the violet eyed man would give a distraction punch and the other would deliver the real blow. They continued this grace until all ten men were down including the leader. It had been a quick, fast moving stream of movements that did not last more than a minute. And even in their broken state, they managed to take all of the thugs down, but not kill them… yet.

"Shit… now my knuckles hurt," Hidan shook his hand, trying to get the pain to reside.

"Do you remember which one of these low lives was the leader?" Kakuzu asked him while kicking around the unconscious men.

"Huhhh? Why would I even care to pay attention?" he rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the men, smirking when an idea came to him. "Do you think they'll mind if I take one of their sorry asses?"

Kakuzu finished raiding their pockets and picked up the leader of the group and slung the barely breathing man over his shoulder. "Probably. Its not like you care anyway."

"Ha, point taken." Hidan picked up a man and slung him over his shoulder like Kakuzu had done with his. They then walked down the busy street with the men on their backs like fresh slaughtered deer. People evaded them drastically, but neither found the need to take notice.

"What are you planning on doing?" The stitch man asked.

"My body still hurts like hell," Hidan grinned. "But once I sacrifice this heathen to Jashin, I'll be sleeping like a pimp that just got laid."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes.

"What about yours?"

"I'm going to sell him on the black market, since he was so proud of his price. He probably goes for more alive, so I guess its fine we didn't kill them."

"And if he doesn't sell better alive?" The violet eyes gleamed.

"Slit his throat."

Hidan cracked up at that, his ribs hurting from his laughter. "Man… hey, can you give me a ride back to the university?"

"Fine, just don't get any blood in my car."

"Ha! You're a real riot 'Kuzu."

"I'll hit you for that later."

1:20 P.M.

They had been walking in silence for a while now, mixing into the crowd. Well, Kisame more or less getting his usual stares, and Itachi getting his normal fan girl notices, but beside that, they moved unnoticed down the street. The shark man didn't know exactly why he followed Itachi, he just felt the need to. He had never really planned to ever interact in such a way with him, despite the boy's attempts to do so. But he had to wonder, was Itachi pleased, or was he dissatisfied? They had been talking for half a year, every night even, and now they had finally met. Did his appearance throw him off like it did most? Was he horrified? Disgusted? He knew Itachi was not the verbal type, but he still wondered what the boy was thinking.

"Ne, Itachi…"

The boy looked at him, his eye's still distant.

"Uh…"

What was he to say?

Something flashed in the other's gaze that he was barely able to catch.

But it was there.

The raven hair then turned around and continued down the side walk. He followed again, only this time he kept a more open eye.

The street was filled with people going in and out of buildings, girls window shopping and people dining in the open air. He watched though; each movement the younger made. Itachi's fingers twitched every time someone would come close to him on the walk, a reflex of readiness perhaps. His footsteps were always light and inaudible, as if he was always half walking on air with each placement of his body. But what he really noticed, which no one would have ever been able to pick up if they had not had his trained eyes and was not paying the utmost attention, was when they passed a television store. The news was on all the different sized screens in the shop window, and just like the news usually included, it had the date and time. Itachi's eyes focused to their left and stared intently on the date placed on the glass for a few long moments while still moving.

He was trying to understand.

The ebony eyes moved back to their straight forward stare. But as soon as they did, Itachi's hand twitched again. There was no one particularly near him besides the mercenary, on top of that, it was not his fingers that twitched inward closer to his body, but it was as if his wrist was moving towards his own pale blue that was causally swaying. It receded though, back to its original place closely along the slender waist of the raven hair. Their pace quickened the slightest bit, and they were starting to see the shops thin and the crowd dispense. They were heading to the empty part of the city, where it started to condense into the massive highway and the local rubbage dump. After some time, the other turned down an empty street aimlessly, and slipped in between a generous space where two buildings separated.

He was starting to realize…

Kisame stood in front of the younger that leaned close the building, as if needing it's support.

He tried to piece it together.

"Today is a certain date…" the shark like man gathered. "An anniversary?"

Itachi nodded his head slowly, keeping his eyes locked on his, while remaining as dispassionate as ever.

"Death," he stated.

A solid blink confirmed he was right.

"Considering you probably like to be alone usually… why…?" He stopped, afraid of coming off as insensitive.

"Why would I mourn when I was the cause of the death?"

As if a gong had gone off, he understood.

Whether it be impulse or madness, Kisame found himself holding the man before him in his embrace. Not intending to let go anytime soon.

"You do not have to show me pity…" Itachi said coldly.

"Someone so young this deep in their own blood…" For some reason, he couldn't help but let his lips rise past his sharp teeth to give a rancorous smile as his own kills sprang before his eyes. "It makes me interested in what you'll do next."

"You mean as in kill again?"

He chuckled. Moving the boy back to stare into his soulless eyes, he found his affection growing.

"Itachi, I think it's time you see what kind of life myself and fellow…" he searched for a word. "Associates, do for a living. The world is not as black and white as you think."

"Because there is always gray in between, is what you are about to say." The raven haired blinked, his stance relaxing more under his hold.

His grin widening to almost demonic. "On the contrary, Itachi. The only color that really exists in this world, can you guess it?"

The younger raised a single eyebrow, visible curiosity rising.

"From fire to blood, the only color that ever existed…"

Itachi closed his eye's, his ebony orbs changing to his inherited resolve.

"Red."


	29. A Change in Tide

**DISCLAMINER: Don't own, shalom! Screw you, to da loo!**

**A/N: I should warn you, this is a really short, plot building, chapter. Which means you all will probably hate it.**

**And about the coffee in the chapter you all loved so much, I made all the drinks up. And it was kinda strange cause when I thought of them, I could kinda taste them…**

**-Little Voice in Head-: She has a caffeine problem.**

**That! … I will not deny. BUT GUYS! I have a Beta! So you better all love her for eternity because now she has to deal with me and by now you should know that could possibly turn someone homicidal. Major props for Ukido though. We'll be working on my past chapters together, so if you go back to reread one of them and go 'Huh, this isnt as sucky as i remember.' It's all because of her! :]**

**From a Caffeine Addict-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 60 WENSDAY 11:28 P.M.

This was her chance.

Miku clutched her cloak tightly as her heels clicked down the street. She was tired of feeling the need to cry for those she lost, yet not able to. She was tired of being weak and under minded, just like a child… This night would be the end of all of that, though. This teal haired girl had enough of this city, it's people included, and what she was about to do… it was for the best.

For everyone.

The building she was looking at made her knees want to collapse. She wasn't brave, she'd admit that. She had never gone on any jobs like Meiko, Luka, or even Rin and Gumi. They were stronger than her, and with more maturity to boot too. But she was going to fix things so no one else would get hurt… And…

Originally, her plan was to kill Sasori and Deidara.

After some thought though, she decided against it. She couldn't kill anyone even if she tried, especially since everyone was so close to the artists. No, she couldn't do that. So she decided to do something else…

Miku took in a breath and opened the door, the massive amount of men silencing at her arrival. She looked at them almost stunned. There was just so many people…

"I…" she had to find her voice. "I-I'm from the Kyoko." She grew more firm. "Where are your leaders?"

A fat man with a torn shirt appeared in front of the crowd, a gun pointing towards her chest.

"And what makes you think we'd just take your word that from another gang and take you to our bosses hm?"

"Joko!" A shrill voice yelled from above.

"Bambi…" Miku looked at the blonde along the top railing of the second floor.

"You bastard, you should know better than to treat our guests like game!"

"You bitch!" The man yelled back up. "How was I supposed to know she was a guest!"

"If ya got any brains in your pitiful skull, you'd ba able to tell!"

Miku frowned. She was happy to see the blonde woman, but she didn't think the feelings would be mutual after she left.

"Now, come on up, Miku," Bambi smiled at her just as anyone would. There was no hate, no malice. Only kindness.

She would miss that.

"Hai, Bambi-san…"

Miku climbed the steps slowly, her hair swinging lightly as the cheery woman waved. "It's rare for any of you to visit us. Come on in, since everyone is here, I'm sure they'll be glad to see you."

She said nothing as the door was opened for her, the smell of dizzying smoke and rushing alcohol over powering her.

"Ah! Who is our new guest, Bambi-chan?" A man with white hair asked.

"You old perv… She's from the Kyoko."

"Welcome then," a woman with giant breasts offered her a seat with a gesture of her cup that was undoubtably filled with some sort of liquor. "Take a load off and have a nice chat with us!"

"No thank you…" she took a step back. "I only came to tell you the news that… The Kyoko will no longer be assisting Deidara and Sasori."

"…" faces fell, and unfriendly looks replaced them instantly. A cold spark of lightning suddenly running through the room, she held strong.

"WHAT!" Bambi slammed her fists against the table, every object on it flying in the air to land with a clang. "When was this decided? Your not even the leader Miku, Meiko is!"

"Meiko is dead!" She covered her mouth quickly after her out burst. Bambi thrown a little off pace, she grasped herself once again to do her job. "Luka had been working along side Uragirimono, she was our missing member. I went to see if I could get her back, but Sasori brought Meiko to follow. Sasori then took off with Deidara to try and get Uragirimono, while I had already been fighting Luka. When I finally nicked her… after… Meiko ran to her, Uragirimono using the advantage, he used something to knock her to ground and keep her there… When Luka protested… He killed her…" she bit her lip, trying to remember the horrible night. "But then Cherry…"

"Cherry was with you…?" Bambi leaned against the wall, her eyes bulging with horror and her pupils dilated with alarm.

Miku never really knew the full relationship between Bambi, Cherry and Itazura. But it was obvious that there was something…

"Cherry went to attack him, she failed and he called for a little girl. She seemed to loose it at that. The little girl was a small, pale blonde, and she seemed to know her also. They fought anyway under his orders. Uragirimono retreated to the other room while they fought and I stayed by Luka, I could hear yelling but… when he came back out. I knew things were bad. I'm not sure if he killed that little girl or Cherry. But Meiko told me to run and I did. A few minuets later, the building was in flames… I don't know what happened to Cherry and the girl. I wouldn't guess they'd be alive after that but… we lost two members and I'm withdrawing… we're leaving soon as possible."

She wanted to wait to see if they say anything, but she was still a coward, and left without another word.

Leaving chaos to brew.

The room was silent after Miku left. Cherry felt as if she was about to hyperventilate, but the smoke choked her, and she stayed mute.

"What now?"

"The Kyoko were the reason we knew we could trust those two."

Shin blew smoke, his look turning troubled. "Ohhh… What to do?"

"We change sides, obviously," Orochimaru hissed.

"How can you say that?" Bambi cried. "We want to get rid of that bastard and Itazura! Not help them."

"We could actually help him like he expects to," the white skinned man debated. "Kill her, kill him."

"He'll kill Deidara and Sasori!" She was fuming, how could this happen?

"Sasori-san is a mercenary, correct…?" Shin pondered. "He does kill for a living… and if he cant protect himself like he claims, or protect Deidara for that matter…" the drug dealer seemed to loose his resolve.

"Your saying if he cant stop himself from getting killed, then he might as well," Gly stated.

"I guess… Maybe." It seemed Shin had tested to much of his own merchandise…

"We need to do what is best for us overall…" Jiraiya pushed back his hair, his clouded mind starting to give him a headache.

"I'll do whatever the rest of you do. I don't care as long as my men don't die," Gly leaned back in his chair and smothered out his cigarette. This was all so unneeded.

"I'm withdrawing," Orochimaru nodded. "Are you going to follow me Shin?"

"Hmm… I think I'll do my own thing this time. It's been fun working with Oro-san though… I met lots of people," he took in another long breathe of his pipe and laughed with all the giggles he had in him to then fall back out of his chair.

"Tsunade-sama," Bambi rushed over to the large breast woman. "Please don't withdraw! Please!"

Tsunade looked at her with pity, she hated that, but if it got her to stay…

"Bambi, I never asked you about your past when I first found you. But if that's what's making your decisions now… you must let it go."

"Tsunade-sama…" her grip loosened, and she backed away towards the door.

"Jiraiya?" She questioned with no more words.

The man aged before everyone's eyes, his wrinkles deepening, and his light sigh making him hunch. "I'll follow you."

"… I guess we're all withdrawing then. Changing sides I'm not sure of but…" she closed her eyes, not needing to see the young girl run out of the room.

Bambi felt as if her heart been made of glass, and everything holding it up just decided to let it go into an abyss, never to actually break, but fall for an endless time to let pain soak it to the color of despair. What was all of this? Why was it happening? Luka and Meiko were gone. And she didn't even know if Cherry and Meme were dead, or suffering… Then for the last somber topping, the people she trusted to help Sasori and Deidara were withdrawing from the job and leaving them to face it all their own.

Miku…

She started to burn. It was all because of Miku and her pathetic and immature nature that this happened. If she hadn't decided to make the Kyoko withdraw first, none of this would of ever happened.

But had she really?

Bambi rushed to a different room that was quiet. It was a small closet. Dusty and empty. Just like her… she dialed a number on her phone, hoping with all that was left of her, that she could do something…

DAY 61 THURSDAY 2:09 A.M.

It was a peaceful second in his life. One he really enjoyed.

Sasori was laying on the couch in Kakuzu and Kisame's apartment, Deidara in his arms. The moon's light coming in from the windows was cast on them for the most part, but he didn't mind, he could see his blonde's sleeping face better that way. Each minute that passed, he felt more content and warm.

So this is what being in love is really like, he thought.

It was in these moments he was happiest. Where he knew Deidara was safe and happy with him, and not being threatened and hurt by the outside world and all it's factors. It was these seconds, that he could let himself dissolve into, despite his social disposition, and feel as if he was really living.

His phone started to vibrate from the table. The redhead held in a scowl of disapproval and sat up with only some hesitation. He checked the caller to see if he could just hang up on them, but once he saw the ID, he was taken back.

It read Client.

His hand subconsciously went to rub Deidara's back for one reason or another. It seemed to comfort him. He had talked to his client twice before he came to the city. And after so many months with no signs of communication, he thought the job might have been dropped if not for the few conversations he had with his boss, Pein.

He pressed a button on his phone that was special. It masked his voice and twisted it into something close to an old man just like Hiruko did. He then flipped it and put it to his ear.

"Good evening," he started quietly not to wake Deidara.

"It would actually be good morning," his client's voice was masked also.

"Yes…"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I have been awake for some time."

His client paused for the briefest second, but then continued onto their nature. "Have you come in contact with your target at all?"

"I have."

"And did she know your intent?"

The redhead smirked. "At the time, I didn't plan to kill her, but it could of very easily led to that.

"Am I to guess you were the one that sent her house to hell and all it's glory?" His client teased.

"I had some help on that one. My circumstances have twisted to extreme extents, but I have not forgotten the job. I will not kill her till you give the word."

"Good. I'll contact when I want the job down, for now… Continue as you have been."

"Till then."

His client hung up and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Sasori noticed that he moved from rubbing Deidara's back, to stroking his hair sometime during the curt conversation.

"We said we both take care of our own pasts…" he whispered softly. "So you better take care of Itazura before I'm forced to, Dei…"

The elder decided it was about time he went to sleep, but fate decided other wise and made his phone ring again.

He groaned out loud this time and went to flip it open without looking at the caller. "Hello?"

"Sasori, is that you?"

He recognized the deep baritone voice instantly. "Who else would it be, Kikaito?"

"Are you speaking outside of Hiruko?"

He forgot to hit the button again to turn off his fake voice. He pressed it quickly and put his phone back to his ear. "Better?"

"Much."

"Why are you-?"

"Everything has fallen apart," the man told. "The rest of the gangs are withdrawing and may be switching over to Uragirimono to actually help him."

Almost as if the floor had dropped from under him, Sasori felt his soul fade away as if leaving his body. "How did this happen?"

"When Miku returned a couple of nights ago, and told us how Luka and Meiko died, she said she was taking over as leader."

"That's preposterous," the redhead rolled his eyes. "Miku is most likely the last person to be the leader of the Kyoko."

"No one fought against her… Kaito or Gakupo should have been the runners up but with Meiko and Luka gone… they haven't spoken to anyone except themselves, and they've both been in the same room for days now… Us brothers have no right to lead and Rin and Len… Rin is strong, but she knows if she ever came in harms way, Len would protect her. And with all the death already, she couldn't lose Len, she wouldn't be able to handle it. Gumi hasn't spoken a word in days either, she just zones out."

"I'm sorry… For everything. I never expected to bring you this deep to cause such a sacrifice," Akasuna Sasori realized he felt completely human after saying that. He felt grief, desperation, and now had the dreaded undergo of empathy.

Deidara had done this to him.

"… But this still doesn't explain why everyone is withdrawing…"

"I'll have to explain in quickly then. A few hours ago, Miku left without a word, and Bambi called me a little while ago, saying that Miku went to their hideout and said we were withdrawing because she didn't want anyone else to die. And that it was best for us."

"And your just going to let her do that?" Sasori understood he had no right to put a say in their actions, but this was involving everyone else now.

"I again don't think she'll have much of a fight… But once she left, apparently everyone started to wonder if they were going about things in their… 'proper' way I suppose… they decided if we had reason to withdraw, it was because we don't trust you… And…"

"You don't trust us?"

"That's not true…!" The baritone didn't sound to sure of himself. "We… trust Deidara. I don't think any of us have any complaint about him. You on the other hand… I've worked with you in the past, but we all still know what you do once you kill someone who interested you."

He narrowed his eyes in the dark. He could understand why they might trust the blonde more than him, despite the fact the boy was a demented pyrotechnic who was emotionally unstable and still young and ignorant. But if he did kill anyone, and found their skills worthy enough, they should be honored that he turned them into art. Not cowering and giving up their trust for him.

"Either way," the puppeteer continued. "You withdrew and they began to think it wasn't wise to stay with our cause. Who brought up switching sides?"

"Orochimaru."

That explained a lot.

Sasori pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to calm himself. If he started yell and woke up Deidara, things would become that much more stressful.

"Have you heard from Cherry?"

"Not since that night," he replied. "I wouldn't worry to much about her, though. She has all the reason to live and she's stubborn as an ass. She wouldn't of died so easily no matter what the circumstances."

"You say that but-"

"Cherry is fine. Drop it. Besides, as far as I know, Itazura would make anyone that hurt her precious younger sister disappear in a second."

"… I see… I'm sorry we cant do anything, Sasori. I've arranged some friends of ours to come and help you out as much as they can. But do you have any other back up plans?"

"After so many years, I would be a fool if I didn't."

"We'll come back and help if we can."

"I'm sure you will." He hung up at that and placed his head in his hands. Sleep or coffee, either or, would be welcomed at this moment. But he still couldn't have it just yet. "How long have you been awake, brat?"

"Since you said Kikaito's name, I think, un," the blue eye's fluttered open.

"You should go back to sleep."

Deidara sat up with the help of his elbow. He then wrapped his arms around the elder's waist and placed his head on their shoulder to nuzzle the pale neck. "How could I when my Danna was worrying so much, hn?"

"You need sleep. I don't want to deal with a grouchy brat tomorrow when we have to persuade important people to help us."

"Do I know these people?"

"Yes."

"Hn… then why does it matter?"

"Because they'll be more difficult then you expect."

"Whatever, un." The blonde pulled the both of them down so they were facing each other, then closed his eyes. "I'm not going to sleep till you do anyway."

"Then I'm going to keep you up all night."

"I don't care, you've kept me up all night before."

"That's right…" Sasori reminisced. "You didn't cry last time."

"Just shut up and go to sleep…"

DAY 61 THURSDAY 12:39 P.M.

"Why are we here?"

"To see important people."

"Danna… this is your apartment building, un."

"And you don't think the people that live here are important?"

"Well… No. No, I don't…"

"You've got a lot to learn brat," Sasori went up the small amount of steps and entered the building, Deidara following reluctantly.

The place was the same as he remembered it. The doors opened up to the lobby, on the right was the stairs, on the left was the lounge area that everyone shared, with the hall leading back to an extra kitchen and laundry room. When they first entered the lobby, the only thing they going see behind the desk was a pair of old sneakers, a head of black hair, and a motorcycle magazine.

"Nigai?" Sasori asked.

The girl moved her magazine down to show a bored expression. "Oh, hey Sasori. What's u-?" She froze when she saw Deidara. There was a moment of awkward silence, but then the teen girl erupted with laughter and started to hold her chest. Her feet fell off the desk and her chair flipped back, and yet she continued to laugh.

Deidara wasn't angry though. He just gave up. It was nice day, the high was seventy, the sun was out with a few puffy clouds, and there was a slight breeze. A perfect day. So of course, Sasori had to take the opportunity to put him in a full on dress. It was a pretty thing, he'd admit ruefully. It was a plain white dress with cloth straps as thick as three fingers. It went slightly past his knees, and the waist grasped what little curves he had. Along with the dress, he wore white flats and had his hair down. But to complete this get up, the redhead insisted he bring a single strap purse.

The only thing that he was able to keep, was a pare of briefs. Because no matter what, he was never going to where a pair of panties while he was still breathing.

"Yeah, I get it, I look like a girl, un."

"No!" Nigai's head popped up, a smile still on her face. "You looked like a girl _before_! But now your one dick removal from actually being one!"

"Nigai!" Nana Ha came down the stairs. "Stop laughing at Deidara just because he looks prettier than you."

The teen girl growled. "Shut it you hag…"

"Now Sasori, what do we owe this visit?" The old woman asked.

"I need to ask a difficult favor of everyone," the redhead got straight to the point.

"… I'll call everyone down."

12:52 P.M.

The sun was shining brightly against the windows of many shops, and the air was warm and welcoming. Most people were out and enjoying the brilliance of the sun and the beauty the city held. But there was five travelers that were not enjoying the day as it was meant. They were an odd lot at first glance, but no stranger than anything else to the eye. Underneath their appearance though, was secrets. One of them being their current job and the location they must reach at all costs.

"Rooooook! Are you sure your reading the directions right?"

"Teto, why would you give someone who's always late the map?"

"Lighten up Ted, we'll get there eventually."

"Roku, if I hear you say that one more time…"

"Ah! I know why I don't know where we are!"

"Enlighten us."

"I've been reading the map upside down."

"Roooook!"

"Told you."

"Ted, for the love of god, stop being so negative."

"May I see the map?"

The four bickering friends looked down to their smallest companion and stopped their shouts.

"Umm…? Sure, here you go Ritsu."

The man handed the map the map over and the calm figure of Ritsu scanned it over.

"We need to go this way," Ritsu pointed behind the group.

"We just came from that way."

"I know."

Rook sulked, but followed the rest of his friends back down the street. Considering Ritsu was the only one that was requested in this job, the rest of them were then chosen by him, leaving Taya and Tei in charge while the five of them were gone.

After all, the Utauloid's had to have some form of a leader.

12:58 P.M.

Everyone in the building except the young boy, Tomo, who was at school, had moved to the lounge. Konan sat stiffly on the couch, she didnt want to be late to one of her three jobs, but her mind was telling her to be delicate with the situation at hand. And so she waited. Along with her on the discolored furnishing, was Nana Ha and Nana Gem, but in between the two of them was Nigai who was slouching against the cushions, already bored again. Kuiro, again still wearing his boring clothes, sat on the arm of the sofa, looking relaxed and curious. Lastly, Clouw leaned against the wall near Kuiro, glowering at anything and everything.

The two artists sat on the coffee table in front of them. Sasori was gathering his thoughts, while Deidara, who was finding it annoying to keep his legs closed constantly, waited for Sasori to speak patiently.

"I need to ask something of you all," the puppeteer started. "And know I would never ask something of you if I did not absolutely have to."

"We understand Sasori-san," Kuiro smiled gently. "Ask away."

The redhead sighed. "I need you all to come out of retirement."

Silence.

"Sasori… Drop dead." Nigai narrowed her eyes.

"What she means is," Konan added. "Sasori, you cant expect us to… respond well to that."

"I never did."

"Then why would you ask us some shit thing like that?" The black haired teen yelled. "The reason people come here is so they can stay away from their hell of a past!"

"I know that."

"If I say yes, can I go to work?"

"Konan!"

"I'm not holding you against your will, Konan."

"If I say yes. Will you let me go to work?" Konan's orange eyes bore into his, her perfectly painted nails digging into her palms.

"… Yes." He finally answered.

"Then yes," Konan stood up, grabbed her bag, and left with that. She understood things were complicated, if she didnt play games and make the puppeteer wait and force her into confirmer her help, than things just became that much more easier.

Leaving only five to persuade.

"Sasori," Nana Ha started. "Why do you need us?"

"And what would you have us do?" Nana Gem finished.

"I was able to gain all five of the gangs to join our side of the cause. But when the Kyoko withdrew for their own personal reasons, the rest of them took that as a sign not to trust us. So they withdrew and may be switching sides."

"So if we help you, we're going to be out numbered by the hundreds and still be slaughtered like pigs." Nigai rolled her eyes. "No thanks."

"We wont be that out numbered."

"Yeah right! There's usually anywhere from hundred, to two hundred people per gang. Plus their 'all powerful' leaders."

"I have one last card my sleeve before that happens."

"I'm sure you do, Sasori," Nana Gem nodded her head. "So why do you need us?"

"I'd like to have more trained and skilled people I don't have to watch over on my side of the field."

"Even still…"

"Look," Deidara interrupted. "We're trying to get rid of the white haired fuck and my bitch ass step mom for your benefit, un. You guys want to stay here and hide from your pasts? Fine. But if Itazura becomes governor and uses her ties and out stretches to more gangs, how safe do you think you'll be, hn? We don't even know why the fuck wants her gone, or why he's pretending to be on her side, but things aren't going to be pretty with that asshole leading anything, un. Hell, for all we know, he killed Cherry."

This bit of information caught their attention.

"What…?" Kuiro asked with bug eyes.

"From what I understand," Sasori spoke before he could. "When we last interacted with Uragirimono, Cherry fought someone and was having a difficult time. We haven't seen or heard from her since that night."

"… But… Cherry cant be…" Nigai couldn't find her voice.

"We'll help you then, Sasori." Nana Gem frowned.

"No one harms our attendants." Nana Ha leered.

"I'll do it," Nigai said out of the blue. "For Cherry."

"Alright… What about you two?" The puppeteer inquired to the two remaining men.

"Clouw?" Kuiro looked to the standing man, who looked away with a grimace.

"… The more crime this city has, the more chance my bank will get robbed…"

Kuiro smiled. "We'll help."

"Thank you," Sasori gave them a smile, which caught them all by surprise considering they had never even seen the redhead look even close to pleased. "It's easier to trust people you know when you fight against a common enemy."

There was a brief knock on the door, at which Deidara stood up quietly to show he would get it to not interrupt his Danna's good mood. The blonde went to open the front door, the warm air spreading into the building quickly with a sweet scent. But who he found standing in front of him was surprising indeed.

"Ah…?" He quickly changed his voice feminine, remembering keenly that he was supposed to be a girl. "Can I help you…?"

"Yes," a small girl with flaming red hair moved his concentrated eye from the four people he was staring at. The girl was standing right in front of him, but she was so short he didn't even take notice, even with her bright orange and red dress with ruffles at the ends and long sleeves. "We are looking for some men by the names of Sasori and Deidara? We were told they could be found at this residence…"

He crossed his arms, trying to give the girl his best smile with twitching lips. "And why would you be looking for them, little girl?"

The girl held up two fingers, a ghostly smirk taking her lips. "One, we're the extra help Kikaito asked to send. Two," she put down her first finger, giving him the bird. "I'm a boy."

Deidara stared. Processing the words for only a second, he dropped his female charade like hot rocks to let his real laugh burst out of his lungs. It got to the point that he had to lean up against the doorframe to hold his aching ribs. While he did this, the five strangers stared at him as if he'd lost all his marbles.

"God," the blonde started to calm down with his normal voice. "You make me feel a hell of a lot better kid," he wiped a tear from his eye and held out his hand. "Nice to meet ya, un, I'm Deidara."

The five strangers gawked at him, a mixture of confusion and shock.

"Y-your…? Deidara?" A girl, or… someone that looked to be female, with black hair and blue streaks put in pigtails asked.

"What of it? Can I not be myself?"

"I-it's just," the same girl stammered. "Kikaito said Deidara was a crazed, sadistic pyrotechnic!

"Hn? And yet you have, a what? A six year old boy with miracle boobs walking around in a dress? And I can't be Deidara?"

"Yeah!"

The blonde groaned inwardly. "Danna, there's people here who don't believe I'm me, un!"

The elder called from around the corner. "What?"

"I'm in a damn dress and now they don't think I'm me."

"The point of the dress is so they don't know who you are. And why would I have to convince them?"

"Yeah, _that's _the reason you make me wear them," he rolled his eyes. "And you put me in the stupid thing, so you have to take responsibility, un!"

There was a noise that may have been a sigh. Sasori came around the corner without a sound, and pulled him against his chest without a word and stared at the five strangers.

"Oh, that's Sasori-san!" The other girl with drill red pigtails laughed and pointed at the puppeteer.

"Good afternoon, Teto," the elder gave a lazy wave. "So you were the help Kikaito sent."

"Yep! But is this really Deidara…?"

"Yeah, I'm me, un."

"Yes, this is my brat."

"I see," the small boy in the dress nodded. "In that case, my name is Ritsu from Utauloid. And we are at your disposal."


	30. The Kyoko's Seam

**DISCLAMINER: I own as much of Naruto as all of you do. Zip.**

**A/N: Yeah… if any of you remember a while back how I said I probably only had ten chapters left? Yeah… big fat lie on that one…**

**BUT I FINALLY GOT THE CHAPTER OUT! *Is about to cry from happiness after all the frustration.***

**This is a depth adding chap by the way. I know a lot of you were confused when I threw the Kyoko at you, with there being so many of them and all. But I'm going to fix that with this single chapter by giving you a more in depth view of them with… some nice things I might say. And in all honestly, I never really wanted their significance to be that big, but I got an idea and I **_**had**_ **to just do it so your just going to have to bare with me.**

**From plotting writer-**

**Teiden~**

**(P.S. Review the other chapter I posted on this one just in case it wont let you review it even after I remove and replace it… Just saying!)**

DAY 61 - THURSDAY - 10:00 P.M.

Sasori and Deidara were unwinding in the puppeteer's apartment. The both of them being in Sasori's bed, they each took to their own pleasure. The redhead was reading a collection of _Sherlock Holmes _that was the size of a bible, while Deidara was teasing his clay. The younger was a little surprised when he didn't get scolded for bringing the muddy substance near the clean sheets, but he wasn't going to bring it up just in case Sasori concurred.

Deidara wasn't really focusing on his clay though. He was thinking over the day's events, the knowledge he gained, and the new people he met. Apparently Kikaito felt guilty for leaving them so suddenly, and had sent a few friends to find them. The strangers he had met today turned out to be that help, and they were quite an interesting lot.

The redheaded female was Teto, who Sasori had met before. She was nice enough to everyone, and was real sweet too. She even seemed more innocent than Miku at times. But the small girl whined constantly until someone gave her some bread to munch on, and she even gave a little attitude towards Nigai after the dark haired teen asked if her pigtails were really drills. The little fuse that blew was entertaining though, and Nigai was quiet for the time remaining, which was always an excellent bonus.

There was another redhead though. His name was Ted, and it was more obvious than his long-ass, curly red ponytail, that he was Teto's brother. But the two differed extremely. Unlike her, he rarely spoke, and when he did, he sounded like a drone. His statement's were always humorless, or seemed dry. Teto explained that he had a hard time lightening up around strangers, but Deidara thought the man just didn't like being out in public at all. The redhead always had his arms crossed and his eyes tight, never letting his guard down for a single thing.

But he was not the scariest out of their group of five. The dark haired girl named Roku, was at least six foot five, and was constantly drowsy. She was pretty laid back and was decent enough to everyone, but there was one instance where she was inflamed, and snapped awake and let her voice raise. Her height advantage gave her a more frightening appearance, and her sudden change left many people off their sway.

Her companion though, as he called himself, Rook, was much more charming. Being he was barely taller than Teto; he was an okay guy. He lightened the mood a lot since their small group disputed often. Deidara had asked once if Rook was related to Roku, since they both had dark hair with at least one streak, but he smiled and said he went where she went, and that was that.

Lastly, there was Ritsu. He was the youngest and their leader, but it was quickly seen that the cross-dressing boy was, well… kinda mean. Ted explained the small redhead was nothing but a little bully, and didn't mean any real harm. Deidara wasn't sure if he believed this, but what did he care? There was someone else in a dress that wasn't him and that was all that mattered.

The blonde did have his heart set out to them though.

Sasori had brought up the question as to how they all looked so young when the infamous Vocaloid incident occurred years ago. They then all told a sad story of an abused past. When the Kyoko master refused to let his 'children' be experimented on by the government, he did nothing to protect all the fans he gave new voices and hearing too. The creators of the NND, which Ask and Clear came from, then found all those fans and ran all the experiments on them. In the end, they got faulty voices that could project illusions just like the Kyoko's, and robot like parts that covered a good percent of their bodies. Once they got out of the lab that abused them, they tried to sue the NND, but failed. And to this day, new people would show up with faulty voices and mechanical bodies, saying they were sent there.

Then, inevitably, a new NND member would show up, their voice and body flawless.

Deidara didn't pity them, because he knew people who had gone through that much wouldn't want such pathetic offerings. He merely wished for them to find a better resolve then hiding and doing occasional favors for the Kyoko.

"Hey, Danna…"

"Hm?" Sasori hummed not looking up from his book.

"Why do they do that to themselves, hn?"

The elder sighed. He could tell this wasn't going to be a simple question to answer.

He put his book on the side table and brought the blonde into his lap. Running his fingers through the soft locks, he analyzed the younger's sullen mood.

"Why does who do what, Deidara?"

"Why do the Utauloids hide and make themselves suffer, hn? Even the Kyoko make themselves out to be cowards when they run like they do…"

Sasori took in a breath. He supposed this would come up at some point…

"Listen, you'll find that people in this kind of business, the kind people find immoral, their past is not bright. And sometimes that drives them to be afraid. Either they'll run away from it physically or mentally, like I did." He felt Deidara flinch in his arms when he said that, as if the blonde now shared his pain. "You may not understand this fully because you're strong Deidara. You're trying to get rid of your problems while they're still in front of you. Not many people can do that."

"Hn… I guess I understand, un. If I don't kill Itazura myself, I'd probably turn out that way," the sculptor chuckled. "And hate the person that got to her before I could, un."

The redhead tensed. "I'm sure that won't happen," he lied.

He wasn't sure at all.

"But let's get some sleep," they both went under the covers, Deidara instantly coming into his arms. "We should start planning tomorrow."

"Un," the blonde closed his eyes while the puppeteer turned off the light. "I love you."

You say that now, the elder thought.

"I love you too."

DAY 62 – FRIDAY – 12:03 A.M.

Under a dark, moonless sky, a single van moved on a lonely road with all ten Kyoko members inside of it. Miku was driving with Gumi in the passenger seat. Behind them were Rin and Len, who were holding hands even though they were sitting in separate seats. In the conjoined back seat sat Akaito, looking out the left window, and Kikaito, who was looking out the right. In the middle, was Taito with a tuckered out Nigaito in his lap. Finally in the very back, were Gakupo and Kaito. You could suppose they had volunteered to sit back there, but neither of them had initially said a word. They just climbed in there and shut the door behind them, their actions needing no further question.

The van harbored a dead silence, making even the chattiest members of the Kyoko quiet. They had been driving for hours, and all of them were exhausted.

"Miku-san…" the light haired green boy rubbed his eyes. "I'm sleepy."

"So am I, Nigaito," and she was. Miku felt more drained than she had in her entire life.

"We really should stop somewhere to rest, Miku," Kikaito mumbled from the back, and Akaito growled in agreement.

"Fine. I think I saw a sign saying there was a motel up ahead."

Miku found a decent enough motel and got five rooms for the ten members. All of them pairing off, they went to their rooms.

And all of their thought's started boiling down to one fine point.

12:33 A.M.

A green haired girl with goggles on top of her head sat on her bed while Miku threw herself on her own.

"Hey, Gumi," the teal haired girl's call was muffled from the sheets. "Do some of them seem… a little, I don't know… Hostile?"

Gumi said nothing, she kept her mouth as if it was zipped shut.

"Well?" the other girl asked turning her head so she could be understood better.

The younger girl looked away. "They don't really mean anything by it…"

"So you noticed too? Well, some people are just going to have to get an attitude change."

"You're the one that needs to change," she mumbled.

"What?"

She looked away, not really wanting to have this conversation.

"Gumi," Miku said more gently. "What did you say?"

She looked at her teal haired friend wanting to scream. "I… I said you're… the one that needs to change." She bit her lip, not sure if she regretted the words or not.

But Miku only looked confused. "I have changed, Gumi. They're the ones that need to follow my example and see what I'm doing is best for them."

"No!" She stood up from frustration, taking her friend by surprise. "You're not doing what is best for us!" The green haired girl started to move frantically around the room, her arms making wild gestures. "You're only following a tradition the Master was fond of that we all originally hated, which was run when convenient. You're not even supposed to be our leader. You're-!" She bit her lip again, not sure if she should go that far.

"What?" Miku stood, her own anger now burning. "Go ahead, say it!"

Suddenly, Gumi no longer cared to spare the other girl's feelings.

"You're taking advantage of Gakupo and Kaito."

The next thing she heard was not something she expected.

"Well someone had too!"

"… What?"

"Someone had to take charge, Gumi. And neither Gakupo nor Kaito were fit to do that in their state. They would only be led by their emotions."

"And you're not doing that? _You _are having us run away because you didn't want to lose anyone else, when we already promised to do our job and help Deidara and Sasori, who were relying on us. I know that Kaito is upset about losing his best friend. I know Gakupo is upset about losing his love. But I also know both of them would have finished what everyone started, whether or not they were lead by their emotions."

Miku crossed her arms and resisted the urge to puff out her cheeks. "What do you think they would have done after that?"

"…"

"Exactly, they would have made everyone run just like I am. The only difference is I'm making sure no one else gets killed. That's why we're meeting Miki and Pico at the next airport, and they're going to take us to the Engloids. We'll be staying with them for a while."

"What?"

Most of the Kyoko didn't associate themselves with the Engloids. Mostly feeling jealous that they were not the Master's only children, they rarely spoke to one another unless there was a serious matter at hand that required massive group numbers.

"I'm protecting us Gumi."

"No, you're only tearing us apart."

12:41 A.M.

Kikaito tossed and turned in his bed, his pacing roommate keeping him awake with their heavy foot steps.

"Akaito…" the blonde groaned. "Go to sleep."

"I can't." The redhead growled.

"Of course you can. You just have to get under the covers, fluff your pillows, and close your eyes. Magically, you will find yourself asleep in minutes."

"Kikaito!"

The baritone found his sheets thrown off of him, leaving only a white tank top and boxers to cover him.

"What is wrong with you?"

He sighed while sitting up. "Apparently you won't let me go to sleep any time soon, so what, exactly, is wrong with _you_?"

"You!"

"… I'm sorry?"

"You're letting Miku walk all over us!"

"And it's my responsibility to lead everyone now?"

"Yes!"

Kikaito raised his eyebrow, and Akaito visibly deflated as he landed on the bed with a bounce and his frustration lowering.

"It's not right for her to be doing this," the red eyed man started. "I can understand someone taking over until Gakupo and Kaito get better, but it shouldn't be Miku…"

"Then tell me, brother," Kikaito's eyes softened. "Who could? Miku would deem anyone one that stood up for the opportunity unfit. Rin, Len and Nigaito are too young. Gumi would be too immature. You couldn't do it because of your temper. Taito is too unpredictable with his condition, and the rest of the Vocaloids aren't technically part of the Kyoko. She's the only one left."

Akaito wanted to strangle his brother. "_No_. You are the only one left!"

The blonde pushed back his hair and gave a tired smile. "I don't think so, brother. I do not deserve such a position."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"

Despite Akaito's sudden raise in voice, the blonde did not move. He was used to his brother's quick temper and all the things that came with it, the redhead's loud voice included.

"I could give you a list as to why you should be the only leader of the Kyoko! One, you're the oldest and the most experienced out of all of us. Two, you've completed the most jobs, and you've never failed any of them. Three, you've got connections everywhere! You have friends like Sasori that are useful and can be called on, and that's something none of us will never most likely get. Four, you were the first one to step up when the Master came, and you were tested on. You took a faulty voice for everyone and got mechanical parts before anyone ever thought about it. You should be our leader Kikaito. Not Miku. And when you say things like you don't deserve it, it gets me angry because I honestly can't believe you don't see how important you are to all of us."

The baritone stared, baffled, at his brother and the sincerity he spoke with. He never thought his existence to be significant, truthfully. But was it really so? Was he actually important to everyone else…? Suddenly feeling thrown off by the younger, he did something he hadn't done in years.

He ruffled his little brother's hair.

"Don't worry, Ototo. Things will get better, I promise."

12:52 A.M.

Len stepped out of the steaming shower, feeling refreshed from all the warm mist. Now he couldn't feel the wet air on every place on his body, but he could imagine it and that was good enough. He quickly dried his hair and put it in the normal small ponytail. He then pat his body down with the fluffy towel and put on his pajamas. The cloth, against the skin he still had, felt cool and welcoming. It was around this time, though, he was sure he heard a familiar melody that was low and foreboding.

It sounded like Rin singing.

He cracked the bathroom door slightly, letting out some of the steam. And there, in the dark room lit by an eerie light from the muted TV, was the silhouette of Rin facing away from him on the bed. Len listened intently for her singing. Knowing her voice anywhere, he picked up on hushed song that he had heard somewhere before.

"-I give you everything

Proof of my virginity

Sacrifice of maiden head for you

Wash my blood"

Now he remembered. It was that disturbing song Luka wrote a while back. The pink haired girl was always a morbid figure after the incident, but when she wrote this song, she had really had outdone herself. Now the only question left was why Rin was singing it…

"Embryos know the scarlet sea

They never see the sky above

Existence just to be a life

They never know my shameful mind

Inside the cradle baby goes to grave

The life I killed cries, every month I kill one more"

Len flinched. That always seemed sad to him for some reason. He figured girls always wanted to grow up, have a life, find that perfect guy and have kids. Rin being no exception to those wishes. So it always seemed painfully depressing to think of a girl's dreams being ruined because of one thing.

"Feel the deadly sin of the bitch's hole

Red like a guillotine blade

Black like a humanity thought

White like a rotten egg of frog"

And there was the gross part… Seriously, Luka was really messed up when she wrote this song. Now it may only of seemed exceedingly demented to him because he was a guy. But even still, the song was still disgusting.

"I kill you every time,

Soul of innocent child

Divide your purity for me

Wash my blood

Feel the darkness of the bitch's hole

Sweet like a hot chocolate

Smells awful like cesspool

Sparkling bright like a diamond ring

I give you everything

Proof of my virginity

Sacrifice of maiden head for you

Wash my blood"

The song ended, and Rin seemed to zone out after that. Len approached his sister carefully, even though he had no need to. The older twin was in a lost state of mind where nothing fazed her. Even as he sat down on the bed next to her, she didn't seem to notice him. Finally when he said her name did she turn and look him full in the face. Her blue eyes were opaque and seemed to be wandering somewhere else completely outside of the world they were in. But at the sight of him, she came back some, and found a little bit of her voice.

"Oh, Len… When did you get here?"

"Ah?" How was he supposed to answer that? "Um… a little bit ago, I guess…"

"Oh."

"I heard you singing." He stated bluntly.

"I was singing? Hm… What song?"

Len wasn't exactly sure what to do in this situation. His sister was definitely out of it. But was it a bad, unhealthy out of it, or was it just from all the recent stress?

"I don't know the name of the song, Rin. But I think the chorus goes… 'Sacrifice of maiden head for you, wash my bloo-'"

"_AHHH!_" Rin's scream made him jump, but he wasn't afraid for himself, he was worried for his sister.

"Rin…? Rin!" He grabbed onto her shoulders and pulled her close, her small body shaking against his.

"I'm sorry… Len…" she sobbed.

"What for?"

"I… love you."

The blonde brother smiled pleasantly, his worry meter lessening. "I love you too, but that's nothing to be sorry for." He pulled her back and gave her a kiss on the forehead, his smile growing a little more when he saw only one stream of tears running down the right side of her face since she only had one duct. Proving once again that his sister couldn't be any cuter.

"No!" she let out a shaky breath and clung to his shirt. "I…" the elder twin didn't know how to finish her words, so she let her actions speak for themselves.

Rin planted a kiss square on his lips.

Len didn't know how to react at first, but he was sure of something now.

His sister loved him more than the blood they already shared.

With sudden excitement shaping his thoughts, he leaned into Rin, her whimpers childishly slipping from her throat. It was so cute. After a second of indulgence though, he leaned back to spoil himself further and stare into her angelic features. Her tears were slowing, he noted, but those blue eyes seemed to shine brighter now, as if they were open and willing to finally see something beautiful for the first time.

Len pecked her lips again.

"I love you too."

"I know you do."

…Well… that wasn't the response he was expecting to get.

"You may be the smart one between the two of us, Len. But you're still my brother, which means you're not that hard to figure out."

"You knew all along?"

"Hai…"

"Then why-?"

"It's impossible for me to love you Len." Rin turned away from him, closing her eyes tight.

The younger twin grabbed her hand. "Are you worried of what the others might think?"

"No…" she sniffled. "I… I mean, we… When the Master first ran tests on us to see what needed to be done, Luka found out she had become infertile. She was devastated. We all tried to comfort her, but nothing worked. Finally," she gasped for air as she tried to break her chain of sobs. "All the girls agreed to just have our parts removed completely."

"So…?"

"We all look like dolls basically… None of us minded at the time, but…"

"Well that was stupid," the younger said looking as if he was pondering deep in thought. "If Luka was upset about never having a life with Gakupo, it wouldn't of mattered. All of us guys are infertile anyway."

Rin's temper lit. "What?"

He gave a nervous laugh. "Well, when you fly backwards over a hundred miles an hour and slam into things while things slam into you, privates do have a way of getting hit."

"Are you saying all of you are ball-less and we lost our womanhood for nothing!"

"Um… not exactly. We're all infertile, but none of us had the guts to, uh… 'part' from our other halves."

"You bastards!" Rin pushed him off the bed and slammed on his groin with her foot. "If you would have told us that, I would be able to love you!"

Even with the intense pain pulsing through him, Len registered her words and took them with diligence. And everything now clicked into place about his sister's meaning of 'love'.

"Rin, do you mean to say that I won't love you if we can't have sex?"

His sister became uncharacteristically bashful at this, for her hands clutched her knees 'til she started breathing hard again, threatening to spill tears down her pale cheeks.

"Oh, Rin…" he stood up with the push of his knee, the ache in his crouch subduing for the time just because his attention was drawn away. He brought her into his arms, allowing his elder sister to cry softly for the second time that night.

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?"

"No, of course not," he smiled. "Maybe a little silly, but there's nothing wrong with that."

"…"

"I'm not saying sex is insignificant. It's apart of every adult life, and it expresses all the lust and love people have for each other. But there are other ways to show compassion besides physical acts."

"They're equally important though…" she rebutted.

The blonde brother gave a soft titter. "Yes, they are. That's why I'm holding you right now. That's also why I always take your hand, and still go for your one tickle-ish spot. It's all to show I love you. And when you react," he nipped her ear, making the older twin squeak. "It makes all the difference. Because it shows you take notice of my existence, and that makes me happy."

"Len…" she let herself be led under the covers, her perfect brother still holding onto her. "… How do you always know what to say?"

"I don't," he whispered. "I just know you."

As if they were truly one, they wrapped around each other and mixed their heats. The silence of the room decayed with the accented beat of their hearts. The last thing they said that night before they shared dreams was something that really demonstrated their unison though. In one voice, in one breath of air, they murmured:

"I love you."

1:38 A.M

Kaito and Gakupo sat in still air. With a single lamp on, the both of them sat on their beds, curled up in their own wallowing.

Kaito felt something similar to Deidara's hollowness. The blue haired man had been falling deeper into his memories of his and Meiko's past. They had been friends since she arrived at the orphanage he and his brother's inhabited. Back then, Kikaito was the only one old enough to get an actual job. So him and Akaito, who was his twin, preformed chores around the home and did street performances as often as possible. They sang songs on the corner, and when they managed to get their hands on a guitar, they'd play to their content to get any amount of cash. Them being the three eldest, they worked hard to get enough money to leave the home, while Taito took care of Nigaito who was only a toddler at the time.

One day, when he and Akaito had been walking home from one of performances, someone tried to steal their money. A girl, as it happened, ran right past them with a long coat, heavy boots, and a torn up hat covering her face. Even though she was fast, she was not a good pickpocket, and the brothers instantly chased her down. Once the redhead of the two tackled her, they were surprised to see how thin she was, and they were even more surprised when she apologized. Both the boys having good hearts, they took her back to the home and gave her a meal. She clicked with the brothers easily despite her rough first impression. The lady that ran the orphanage later took her in like the rest, and she instantly became part of their family. The only problem was, the girl couldn't remember her name. She had been a runaway since she was young, and had long since forgotten everything about her family and herself. So Kaito gave her a name.

Meiko.

The years went by and things got better with her addition. She helped Taito to look after Nigaito, who was growing up modestly, but was often sick no matter how many apples he ate. But around the time the small green haired boy turned five, there came a day where Kikaito didn't have work, and they had miraculously gotten their hands on two guitars. So they took a field trip up town and found the busiest street they could. The twin red and blue haired boys played their instruments, and they all started to sing, creating an ideal mash up. From Nigaito's pure, innocent boy voice, to Akaito's and Kaito's matching duel harmonies, adding Taito's interchanging sound between oceanic deep and baby bird high, blending with Kikaito's and Meiko's mature, more developed tones, they had become a seraphic chorus.

Proudly, they gained an actual audience that enjoyed their music, and in that mass of people, was a producer who offered them a contract right on the spot. None of them were sure about this deal, and they mostly couldn't believe it was true for the most part. But Meiko stood up, put her small dirty hand in his fat sweaty palm and shook it firmly.

From that day on, Kaito always respected Meiko and her boldness. Quicker even, they had become inseparable friends and became the first Vocaloids.

But now she was gone, and she was never coming back. He felt betrayed, really. Did their friendship really mean that little for her just to die like that and leave him alone? The blue haired man knew better than this in his heart, but he still felt his body rock with anger every time he thought of her. It was aggravating and sickening all at the same time.

He was not the only one suffering though. Gakupo was going through everything he was, and on top of that, a broken heart.

Kaito never really understood the complexity of the purple haired samurai and the pink medieval girl's relationship. But he knew it was intense. The way they always looked at each other, and how the atmosphere would always thicken when they were close together. And when they sang duets, there was always a cold passion that could make diamond stomachs churn.

For the past few days now, Gakupo had been edgy, as if he was enraged by not having the usual friction he used to receive. And up 'til now, both he and the samurai had been in each other's presence constantly because they both had mutual pain. But now he was waiting for something, and by the looks of the long haired man, it was going to happen soon…

Gakupo took a fist full of sheets, his teeth gritting. He growled and held onto his internal turmoil and fought back all the banging emotion that was over powering his circuits. He felt like a bull. The slightest bit of red put in front of him and he'd charge, ready to demolish all in his way.

The world just needed to stop.

With no conscious thought, his fist smashed into the wall, leaving an indent and making Kaito jump. He was standing now, his breathing harsh and his fists shaking. His control was gone, there was only raw anger.

"Gakupo!" Kaito bounced off the bed and wrapped his arms around him, restraining his limbs.

This was what he had been waiting for.

"Let. Go."

"No." His hold tightened. It didn't matter if he was a little shorter than the other man; he was strong and could restrain him for the time being. Especially when the samurai was weak from his lack of nutrition. "You're just going through the stages of grief. And if you don't calm down, you're only going to hurt yourself."

"I don't care!" Gakupo's deeper voice racked as he spoke through clenched teeth.

"I do…" He released his arms, his jaw locking as his body became rigid. "Hit me."

The taller man hesitated, his stare boring past the other man's exterior and into something of much greater depth.

"It's okay Gakupo, hit me."

The samurai bit the inside of his lip, drawing blood. There was usually a little voice in his head that told him right from wrong, but that voice did not exist anymore. So he drew back his fist, his knuckles tight, and launched it. Contact was made, and Kaito's head whipped to the side. He panted, his skin already bruising around his joints. For a split second, he wondered if he should regret his actions, but when the blue haired man turned to face him again, he was smiling.

"It's okay, hit me again."

The red flag was waved.

Gakupo became a storm, his fists crashed like lightning, and his grunts echoed like thunder. His body rocked with each swing as if he was one giant wave, twisting and turning under mass strain. When he his cries ended, his arms hanged limply by his sides like an angry ape's. With purple hair hanging in his eyes, and hot breaths making his throat rasp, full realization slashed right across him, leaving his skin icy cold.

"Kaito…!" The taller man wrapped his arms around the smiling figure, just as the other had done. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…!"

Blood dribbled down Kaito's pale lips, his grin still bright. "Why would you be sorry? I told you to hit me."

"But… you're in more pain than me… and I…"

"What? You… You're suffer from a broken heart and I…"

"A broken heart?" Gakupo's knees started to give out, making the both of them sink to the floor. "Not… exactly. Sit."

Kaito did as the other said and leaned against the bed. As the samurai did so himself, Kaito felt his body catch up with him; the ache setting in. So he leaned his head against the other's shoulder and just let his body swell. The purple man's heat did offer comfort as his eyelids lowered, but he resisted the urge to let sleep take him away. So while Kaito fought back the wish of cold darkness, Gakupo tried rearranging his disgusting thoughts. He hated to remember the pink haired witch, but he also hated her disappearance. Their relationship was strange and complex. Anyone outside of the Vocaloids would never understand. He had a feeling though, that Kaito would be able to grasp everything with ease. They had been tight friends before the incident, and had grown even closer over the years. But now, he felt as if these current events had brought them together in a new way. Even as he tried to gather his thoughts, the minimal contact Kaito was giving him had become a comfort…

He found his place.

"I hated Luka from the moment I laid eyes on her." He stated. "If you remember, I didn't talk to her for days when she first arrived… After a while, I started to think I was being rude and should at least say 'hi' to her…" he laughed coolly. "When I did finally speak to her one morning, it was obvious the feeling was mutual… Hate at first sight I suppose… Suddenly we became very weary of each other's actions. And it turned to distrust. There even came a point where we would constantly watch each other from a distance."

"That's why I saw you two looking at each other so much." Kaito mumbled.

"Yes… After a year though, there came a night where we suddenly burst at the same time. We yelled and screamed and… things blurred together until the next morning I woke up naked in her bed."

"You slept with her."

"Hn..." he gave a thoughtful pause, and decided where to start again. "Somehow our hate turned to lust at times. Either I would wake up and look down at her, my loathing stronger. Or I would wake up by myself, feeling cold… After the accident though, things got worse between us. She wouldn't even look at me half the time. And I became confused as to if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Then one day out of the blue, while I was in one of my more somber moods, she came up and kissed me."

"What did you do?"

"Pushed her off and gave a nice bitch slap."

Kaito gave a tired laugh, and then nuzzled his head deeper into the other's shoulder, trying to fight sleep. He always did think Luka was to brash. And it almost made him happy that the samurai had returned her ignorant actions with a small slap.

It was then he started to hear something.

"When she left the Kyoko," Gakupo continued, "I wasn't sure how to handle her missing space… It was like having a broken toy taken away. You don't play with it, but you still don't want to give it up… Kaito?"

"Hm?" The blue haired man hadn't completely been listening.

He had been entranced by a sound.

It was a nostalgic echo that he had not heard in many years. It was slow, and rhythmic. He wished he could hear the beat constantly, but that was a fool's desire… Still, he could hear it in this moment, as faint as it might be. But what if…?

"…?" The samurai's body stiffened, his eyes feeling as if they would fall out of his head at what he saw next.

Kaito straddled his lap.

"Wha…?"

"Sshhh…" the smaller man hushed gently. "Please."

Gakupo gulped, but gave a curt nod none the less.

Kaito smiled at the other's trust; his sore body numbing further from the kindness. In truth, his intentions would seem weird, but he had become so fascinated with that hushed noise… He laid his head down against the broad chest that radiated heat. He then searched for something, the desired sound. It grew louder as he moved his head lower, and to the right. The sound's source was located above the samurai's breast bone.

He'd found it.

"Kaito," the other man inquired softly. "Are you listening to my heart?"

"Yes," he answered. "When I was younger, I would cry often. So Meiko would hold me against her chest and I would listen to her body, and I'd start to calm down... But when she changed, I couldn't hear it anymore. A lot of her chest was replaced, and the sound disappeared almost all together. And now… ironically, I think the only person that could comfort me about Meiko as of late… would be her."

Kaito had never felt this bitter. He wanted cry against his best friend's chest like he had done all those years ago. So he could relax in her arms, and start to feel as if the world was right again. But she was no longer by his side. Meiko had gone sky high, as he understood, and was now six feet under.

Something surprising happened then. Something the smaller man could not believe.

Gakupo wrapped an arm around him, and using his free hand, he feebly pushed his head closer, the samurai's heartbeat becoming even more soothing.

"I may not be Meiko," the larger man whispered by his ear. "But… if you ever need someone, I'm here."

As a shy hand ran trough his hair, Kaito was left with no words, so, he did something he hadn't done in days.

He smiled.

2:32 A.M.

Taito's eyes fluttered open, his violet locks falling past his murky vision.

"Taito-onii…?" A small voice whispered.

He groaned and turned to see a small figure in the dark. "Nigaito, are you alright?"

"I had a bad dream… Can I sleep with you?"

His spirits raising, an easy smile made his features warm. "Of course."

He moved over so his younger brother could fit in the small bed. Taito's sudden thoughts wandering; pity over came him. Nigaito was like the rest of them, never aging or moving in time. But the years had not raised the youngest brother as it should of. The incident years ago had cause a certain amount of trauma to Nigaito's brain, and had most likely locked his mind in a child's complex. Meaning he'd never really devolve past his innocence. And though it was sad, Taito didn't mind like the others did. He had, for the most part, raised his brother. And since that was the reality of the situation, it made the green haired boy look up to him most. Truth be told the violet haired man liked having someone to depend on him. He liked having someone trust him fully, and not worry if he was about to snap or not.

He liked having a little brother.

"Taito-onii?" Nigaito's small whisper caught his ear.

"Hm?"

"Things… are going to get better… Right?"

His younger brother looked up at him with his big apple green eyes, their worry vibrant.

Taito brought his brother closer to him, the younger's smile and trust peeping through.

"It will, I promise."

So as all of the Kyoko drifted off to sleep, none of them realized Gumi's prediction had been completely wrong. Even if Miku could not lead, and was forcing them to play the cowardice role, she had not torn them apart.

If anything, they were closer then ever.


	31. A Lost Knight

**DISCLAIMER: No own.**

**A/N: Things should be back to normal now. Update wise and all. But I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little crack-ish (not really crack, just maybe a little more playful) at points. Can ya blame me though? I'm not always in a mood for explosions, or drama, or depression and such. Sometimes I just like to be random and throw some fun into what I write. So sue me if its displeasing, it was fun all the same.**

**By the way, if anyone wants to get some good crack going, just smoke some Charlie Sheen *Shot by a machine gun then thrown in a land fill* I deserve that. . .**

**From a plain and bored writer-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 64 - SUNDAY - 9:28 A.M

Hidan groaned. A hang over drowned him as venom took over his veins. His stomach wasn't upset, yet, so that was good. He shifted in his bed and felt around for the water and Advil he usually kept on his desk. But something was wrong. He found his bed was bigger than he initially thought it was… He opened his eyes and found many things out of place.

This wasn't his bed…

He wasn't in his room…

He couldn't really… Remember last night…

But what was probably the most worrying thing was he was nude… Yes, that was certainly concerning.

So, basically… the only question there was to answer was…

WHAT IN JASHIN DID HE DO LAST NIGHT!

Jumping out of the bed, Hidan ran out of the room and found himself in a familiar apartment. He looked around for anything, a cell phone, his clothes, _something_.

From a light blue sofa that was in front of him, Itachi's head popped up. He had his reading glasses equipped and had a book in his lap. Even though Itachi's stoic face pissed him off most the time, the silver haired man felt relief bless him.

"Itachi! Where in-?"

"Kakuzu left coffee for you. It should still be hot," the reading man said not even looking up.

"Where are we and-?"

"At Kisame and Kakuzu's shared apartment."

"Why are we-?"

The raven hair turned a page. "If you honestly don't remember anything from last night, the short version of it would be as followed. Kisame asked me out for some drinks and made Kakuzu ask you to come along to be polite. You said yes in an attempt to peeve me off and came along. You and Kakuzu became completely intoxicated in the first hour or so, and left afterwards. You came back later than us, but that's all I know."

"Wha…?" Thrown off and dumbfounded, he blinked like an oaf.

"As I said before, the coffee Kakuzu left you is on the counter… And Hidan?"

"Yeah?"

"Please find you clothes."

The violet eyed man peered down, remembering his manhood was in plain view. But this was where Itachi pissed him off. The man had absolutely no sense of humor, and could never take anything light heartedly. So he decided to annoy the other as much as he could.

"I'll put on my damn clothes when I want to!"

He marched over and grabbed the coffee off the counter. It was still steaming so that meant the stitch bastard hadn't left to long ago. Hidan gulped down the bitter bean liquid though, a grin spreading. He then went to the other room and started looking for his clothes. After all, he couldn't go walking around the town in his baptize suit.

Hidan looked all around the room. From under the bed, in the covers, all around the bathroom, and still he couldn't find his clothes. But there was something on the dresser, a paper ticket, with the numbers 10119. And with those five numbers, came the over whelming memory of the pervious night.

FLASHBACK - LAST NIGHT - 10:28 P.M. 

The sky was full stars, and the moon was a pale crescent crossing the sky.

There was group of four men walking towards a bar on this peaceful night. Two of them were chatting nonchalantly, and the other two were giving glares cold enough to start a new ice age. The two that were politely talking were an odd pair. One was a petite raven hair, who's companion was a large shark like man at least a head taller than him. These two had become quite close over the few days they knew each other. An understanding between the two of them perhaps. But their companions had not become so civil though. They would fight constantly, and the other two men were worried that it was not such a good idea to bring them along.

"You don't think they're going to get kicked out do you? Kakuzu is never a problem by himself but…" The shark looked man worried.

"Hidan has been a hassle in the past, but nothing to serious…" The raven hair left his sentence dangling, faint memories of other drink nights rising.

"But both of them combined… Do you think it'll be a problem?"

"Oi! Bastards!"

The two men in front turned half-face to see a large stitch man and albino staring at them.

"We _are_ right here ya assholes."

"Then you should know to behave." The raven hair turned and continued, his companions following not a second later.

END

Hidan rushed out to the busy street (fully clothed thanks to Kakuzu's dresser) and tried to conjure up an idea of where Kakuzu might of gone. From the limited things he did know about the man, he could guess a few places but… one place stuck out in particular. Since they had gone out last night, and probably spent who knows how much money, the miser was probably wanting to check into his finances… so Hidan guessed the one place the man could be.

The bank.

The violet eyed man did an about face and raced across the road. He sprinted two blocks and saw the brick building right around the corner. He then took two steps a time to run into the quiet little place known as the city bank, not an eye drawing in his direction. The silver haired man went to the first desk he saw open, and hounded the girl at there.

"You! Have you seen, ah…? A really big guy come here? Dark skin, lots of muscles, with probably a mask covering his lower half of his face?"

The girl blinked. "You mean Kakuzu?"

"You _know _his name?"

"Sure!" The girl smiled. "He comes in every morning to make sure we haven't been robbed!"

"…"

"But if you're looking for him, you just missed him."

Hidan groaned. "Do you know where he is now?"

"Hmmm…?" The girl pondered. "Well if I were Kakuzu… I'd probably go home and check my stocks."

"… The bastard has stocks?"

"Tons!"

"Thanks lady!"

Hidan rushed out of the building, another memory from last night rising from his cesspool of a mind.

FLASHBACK - LAST NIGHT - 11:31 P.M.

Loud music screamed in every ear, and the smell of alcohol burned every nostril. Girls giggled and ran away from half conscious men. Not a soul could tell this certain group from drunkards or criminals. At this bar though, sat four men in a booth. The two on the outside were the larger of the group, and they agreed on this arrangement for some particular reasons…

"Hey hansoms," a woman wearing shorts that showed her ass along with an extremely low cut belly shirt leaned over their table, showing just about every part of her cleavage except her nipples. "Any one wanna buy me a drink?" she bat her goop covered eye and leaned further across the table, knocking down a shark like man's drink. "What about you Mr. Mysterious?" She licked her lips and tossed her gaze towards a raven hair, who in return looked her way, but his albino friend started to laugh.

"Looks like you got another slut alert Itachi!"

"So it seems…" he concurred.

"Slut?" The girl back up appalled.

"I'm sorry," the petit man intervened. "He didn't me to be that rude. You go by prostitute, am I correct?"

"You two are no gentlemen!" she screeched.

"And you're no lady," the albino countered. "Hell, I'm not even sure you're a woman."

"Well!" She stormed off, her ass swaying more than a boat.

"You handled that well," the large stitch man rolled his eyes.

"Aw, that was nothing, me and Itachi get worse on campus."

"Really now? I'd think your personality would drive everyone away."

"Shut it you bastard! I didn't see that whore coming onto you!"

"She obviously has a low sense of taste."

"What?"

"There they are Boa!" The girl was back, a man around her shoulders. He was medium height, most likely not sober in the least, and was glowering full heartedly at their table. "It was those two, in the back!" the girl pointed her long nails at the raven and albino. "Get'm!"

The man stepped up, cracking his knuckles. "So you two were raggin' on my girl, huh? Bad move…"

The college students looked at each other, light expressions of amusement gracing them. In one voice then, they spoke to their other halves, their arrangement coming in handy.

"Kisame."

"Kakuzu."

The mercenaries stood, their full heights of 6'5 and 6'2 being over whelming, the man stumbled back.

"The hell!"

"Mind the punks," the stitch man growled. "They're a little testy tonight."

The larger blue man bared his pointed grin, the other man stepping back once again. "We wouldn't want any trouble now, but if would like to go outside with us…?" He chuckled.

"Naw, naw man! Lets go babe!"

"But Boa!"

"I SAID LETS GO," he pulled the woman away, and once they were out of sight, the silver haired man started to crack and howl.

"Damn that was fun! Come on Kakuzu, you're buying me a drink," the albino hopped down from the booth.

"What? Why me?"

"Cause you invited me you dumbass. And, oh, fish breath!" he grabbed the blue man by his shoulder and brought him down to whisper in his ear. "Don't let Itachi drink to much. You do _not_ want to see him get drunk…" he pushed the man up and stretched his arms and grabbed the miser's arm. "Alright asshole, lets see how good you are at throwing shots back!"

END

Hidan ran up and up and up and up the stairs to get to the top. He swore to Jashin that those mercenary bastards rented the entire top floor just for the hell of it. But then a thought struck him…

Didn't this building have an elevator…?

"Fuck it!" Hidan kept running til' he got to the last floor and pounded on the door he knew held a bunch of heretics. "Open up!"

The door swung wide, and Kakuzu now stood before him. "You know that door wasn't even locked, right?"

"Whatever…!" the silver haired man let his head fall against the broad tan chest. Trying to catch his breath at the same time, he spoke. "You… bastard! What in… Jashin…? Why…? Man I'm tired… stairs are such a bitch…"

Kakuzu rolled his eyes and pulled Hidan into the apartment. Throwing the worn out Jashinist on the couch where Itachi once laid, he brought over two breakfast sandwiches and some water. "Get a drink first. Then you can eat." He handed over the glass and gave the sandwich to the other man before he sat done on the opposite end, quietly munching on his own food.

Hidan gulped down the water and sat the cup down on the nearby table. He then took a massive bite and swallowed the crunchy bread.

"Hey, bastard…" the albino looked down almost timidly as he chewed.

"Hn?" Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.

"About last night…"

"We never speak of it again." The tan man interrupted abruptly. "There is no proof we ever participated in those activities."

"But I swear Weasel-ass knows!"

"How would he?"

"I don't know, but he always knows everything!""Like I said, there's no proof."

"But he saw me with no clothes this morning…!"

"Yes, we'll have to go back and get those… and that also explains why you're wearing my clothes."

"I blame you for this anyway," Hidan took another bite, looking away from the other man's gaze in the process. It was such an uncomfortable and awkward subject: last night…

"It's not like you were against it."

"I was drunk and so were you!"

"Well it's not like I would ever do it again," Kakuzu growled, his impatience growing.

"No one would… Honestly, to Jashin… who even bets on their own karaoke singing with someone else's clothes, huh?"

"We were both intoxicated beyond comprehension, Hidan. Drop it."

Feeling a little more of his energy return, the violet eyed man grinned and swallowed the last bit of his sandwich. "You're lucky I'm a good singer ya ingrate, or else both of us would have been in our baptizing suits."

"Drop. It." The stitch man's words were final.

"…" Hidan laughed quietly in his chest, an idea rising.

"…?"

"We should'a just had sex."

"Probably."

DAY 63 - SATURDAY - 11:36 P.M.

In a poorly lit room, Uragirimono spun in his chair, giggling off and on. He couldn't decided which lollipop popsicle he wanted first, and since he no longer had Meme to choose and split one with him, he had to decide by himself. Only it was just so hard! There was Apple-berry swirl, Banana-lime twist, Grape-berry frazzle, and Cherry-watermelon bomb. So with so many tempting flavors, he could never pick.

A knock came to his door, and the white haired man stopped his excessive spinning.

"Come in."

"Good evening, Uragirimono-san." A man with a blue kimono and long smoking pipe entered.

"Ah, Shin! It's so nice to see such a friendly face. Would you care for a lollipop popsicle?" the gold eyed man gestured to the four wrapped treats on his desk.

Shin took in a breath from his pipe, then threw his head back and let a hysterical laugh pass his lips. "Dear me, no! I already have my treat as you can see. But I can't stay long, I only came to report."

"Is that so…?" Uragirimono frowned for a millisecond, but brought his smile back as soon as he showed signs of his mood becoming crestfallen. "What do you have to report?"

"They're going to be contacting you soon. But all they will be saying is that they will be switching sides, but won't be handing over their troops completely to you unless something happens to them… It's all as you predicted."

"So it seems," he chuckled. "I can get rid of them easily though. Then I will near eight hundred under my command! Oh, I'm getting giddy just thinking about it!"

Shin's lips twitched downward while they were still wrapped around his pipe. "I'll warn you, Uragirimono-san. Gly is a tricky old man. And if Bambi-chan sniffs anything out, she'll run right back to Tsunade and warn her."

"Do not doubt me, I know these things of course. I know precisely where our little pawn Bambi is, and who she's seeking out. As for Gly… I'll admit he is more wilily than the others, but he can be taken care of. Do not fret."

"Yes…" Shin puffed a ring of smoke in the air, his thoughts buzzing. "I must be going then."

"Here, take a lollipop popsicle with you," the white haired man threw the frozen delicacy across the room, and Shin caught it easily. Nodding quickly, he left the room and shut the door behind him.

Before he began his departure, Shin paused in the moonlit hallway. Every meter or so there was an open window letting in the calming summer air, but he did not see this. He only saw a corridor that many had walked down only once... And yet there he stood. Having moved down this passage many a time now, he was starting to realize that the end was near, and that many lives would cease to exist soon enough… But his own demise did not have to be included now, did it?

He threw the treat out the open window. Already wise and paranoid enough to believe it to be poisoned, and continued down hall, smoking his pipe. This dark haired fellow was not going to return to the warehouse yet. Oh no. He first had to find a feisty little blonde, with perhaps a redhead on the side…


	32. New Improvement

**DISCLAIMER: Let me ask you this… what would say if I **_**did**_ **own Naruto? Ponder that…**

**A/N: Now for Itachi and Kisame. I actually would of combined these chapters together had I not screwed something up before hand… This chapter was hard though. I like my characters as close to realistic as possible. And because their personalities are so defined, it took me a while to figure this chapter out.**

**BUT I have a new one shot! And I'd like to ask you guys to at least give it a look at cause I know you'd guys probably like it. Maybe… I don't know, you guys read this so you have to be a little willing to read my whacked stuff. And if anything, it has some… musical citrus in it… *laughs at my own bad joke* Oh gosh. Just check it out would ya? **

**If you already read it, extra yaoi points to you! (Screw brownie points :P) And I send all my positive (fan girl) energy to you so you may have lovely BL filled dreams! (Yeah… I'm really pushing it with the creep levels…)**

**From an author that needs duck tape for less than legal reasons- **

**Teiden~**

**(P.S. I studied a lot for this chapter because of their two specific personalities. So if anything, tell me how I did on them. Because if you guys do not like this chapter, I will take it down, tear it apart word for word and start again from the bare bone. Just sayin'.)**

DAY 64 - SUNDAY - 7:53 A.M

Itachi sat up in Kisame's bed, the larger man beside him, asleep.

He wasn't sure how he should feel about last night. He had been wasted beyond the imagination (even though he never showed it), but he could remember every moment that ticked away in the never ending dark. He remembered the music, the girls, the drinks, everything. But the thing he could recall with utter clarity was Kisame. The man had been beside him the entire night, watching over him despite his changed nature.

Itachi looked down at Kisame. The blue man's breathing was even, and he imagined that the other was having a pleasant dream considering the slight smile on his face…

The raven hair stood, the large borrowed clothes from Kisame's closet dragging down his form. He looked over to the table by the bed, and saw a few things of his including his wallet, phone, and reading glasses that he always took with him. He grabbed these three objects and searched for his own garments, finding them with ease. They were folded up on top of the basket hamper. He entered the connected bathroom, changed and folded up Kisame's clothes and placed them on his side of the bed.

Kisame was still sound asleep, his mouth slightly ajar. Itachi stood over the man for a minute, wondering if it was normal for a killer to be in such a heavy slumber. After no signs of the other man stirring, he moved to the other room and laid his legs out along a light blue couch. He scanned the room from there, and noticed a giant book under the glass table in front of him. The raven picked it up and found it to be hard cover copy of _A Tale of Two Cities. _He had of course read this book before, but why not read it again? He put on his reading glasses, and began to flip through the pages to find a decent enough spot to start since most of the book was dry.

"Ah, at least _you're _awake."

Itachi looked up and found he was being stared down by Kakuzu as the man entered from the front door.

"Are you the only one?"

"Kisame is still asleep," he answered. "And since it's still quiet, I assume Hidan is still asleep as well."

Kakuzu groaned. "Sharp answer kid… I'm going back out, I only came to drop this coffee off for the nut since I figured he need it and were out… I'll be back in an hour."

The stitch man left with that, and Itachi was alone again.

His eyes focused on the page full of words, but his mind did not process them. His thoughts kept wandering back to the other night and it's events…

FLASHBACK - LAST NIGHT - 11:00 P.M. 

A raven hair sat on a barstool, his pale blue friend beside him trying to figure out what drink to order.

"Uh… Aha! I'll take a Sailors Keg!"

The bartender chuckled. "Comin' right up. But what about for ya friend here?"

The dark haired man remained quiet, his eyes locked on the bartender.

"Ha!" the man burst, his cigar almost falling out of his mouth. "You look like the type for a Bitch's Line! Be right back."

The shark like man looked over to his friend, his awkward worry peeping through.

"We can always leave if ya want… Ne, Itachi?"

"Here ya go boys!" The bartender slammed their drinks down in between them, the differences stark.

The shark like man's drink was in a miniature barrel made completely of wood. The top was foaming from the mass carbonation, and was giving off a drawing, yet repulsive sent because of it's warm nature.

But for the other man's drink… it was in a tall, thin glass that was mostly taken over by ice cubes. Perhaps the most demeaning thing though, was that the drink was pink and bubbly…

The elder man laughed as best as he could, and took three big gulps of the warm alcohol. He didn't like the look the younger was giving the bartender particularly, and he suddenly remembered a certain albino's warning about not letting the raven get to drunk. But that almost didn't seem right… the younger didn't seem like an angry drunk. Hell, his quiet friend didn't look like munch of a drinker at all…

"Woops! Almost forgot." The bartender flashed his grimy brown teeth and disappeared below the counter for a moment, and returned with a straw in his hand.

He plopped the straw in the fruity drink right before the onyx eyes and laughed.

The raven blinked as the man choked on his own spit. He then wrapped his lips around the straw and sucked the drink dry in the blink of an eye.

The bartender stared awed. Even the shark man took in a surprised breath.

"Itachi, you can drink?"

"Hn."

"But that had enough tequila in there to make a strong man go blind!" the bartender yelled baffled.

"Hn."

END

Itachi suddenly heard noises from the other room. He gathered that Hidan was awake and was about to cause unneeded trouble, so he focused back on his book and tried to find some solace in the words.

"Itachi! Where in-?"

"Kakuzu left coffee for you. It should still be hot," he answered not looking up.

"Where are we and-?"

"At Kisame and Kakuzu's shared condo."

"Why are we-?"

He turned his page. "If you honestly don't remember anything from last night, the short version of it would be as followed: Kisame asked me out for some drinks and made Kakuzu ask you to come along to be polite. You said yes in an attempt to peeve me off and came along. You and Kakuzu became completely intoxicated in the first hour or so, and left afterwards. You came back later than us, but that's all I know."

"Wha…?" Hidan blinked, lost.

Itachi's peripheral vision, though not very good, had now given him the sight of something he had seen before and probably would again, even if he regretted it…

And that was Hidan's naked bodice and dagger.

"As I said before, the coffee Kakuzu left you is on the counter… And Hidan?"

"Yeah?"

"Please find your clothes."

The albino looked down, and was either reminded that he was nude, or just noticed himself. "I'll put on my damn clothes when I want to!" The other man marched over, grabbed his coffee, and went back into the other room. Leaving Itachi to his own doings.

The raven went back to his book, flipping through it leisurely. But it wasn't long before more noise returned to bombard his ears.

"Oi! Asshole! I'm going to find that bastard, so if he comes back here, castrate him!" Hidan slammed the door behind him, but Itachi hadn't even looked up to show the childish behavior any significance.

"What was that?" Kisame entered the room rubbing his eyes, looking more frowzy then groggy.

"A raucous Hidan."

"Huh…" There was a pause before the shark like man spoke again, making him wonder if the other man thought about what he said before hand. This thought puzzeled him, considering the elder's next few words were: "You're the bastard king of apathy, ya know that right?"

Itachi merely gazed at the tall man out of the corner of his eye, his stare not even making Kisame squirm like most.

"Hmph, just lettin' ya know is all…" he yawned. "I'll go ahead and get dressed so I can drive you back to campus with some decency."

"Hn…" Kisame left the room and went back to his own; feeling the younger's eyes on him the entire way until he shut the door.

He understood the other's curious nature towards him. After all, the pervious night was a peculiar one…

FLAHSBACK - LAST NIGHT - 12:31 A.M.

A large pale blue man was on his second sailors keg. With his mind now starting to go fuzzy from the buzz of alcohol, he stared in wonder at his friend.

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!" The entire bar chanted as his companion swilled over twenty shots in a row.

"Yeah!" Fists were thrown up in the air and gambled money was passed around at the last gulp.

The shark like man laughed with a loose jaw. "Ne, Itachi, where did you learn to hold your liquor like that? You can't tell me that's genetic."

"Hn."

The men around them laughed, while the bartender chewed on his newly lit panatela.

"It's impossible! No one should be able to take an entire tray of Twisted Gypsy shots!"

The bar again hollered, and the large man behind the counter growled.

Now during all this cheer, the young Uchiha slipped down from his stool at the bar and mumbled to his friend. "I'm excusing myself."

The light blue man roared with a laugh at that. "Alright you uptight prick! Go 'head and be off to the lue!" he laugh harder as the other men moved away.

His voice died away with a smile still on his face. But there was something troubling him deep in his fuzzy mind. And he felt as if he really should remember it… he could gasp it was about the raven hair… but what, exactly?

Suddenly, a sobering cry rang out in the bar. The crowd dispersed around a certain area, and he saw the younger standing over a man who held an ugly sneer on his face. The raven had managed to pin his arm behind his back while holding a broken bottle to his throat; a trail of blood already making its way down the mans neck.

The mercenary suddenly felt all his foggy thoughts rush away, leaving him partially stunned. But his mind came back and he moved across the room with just a few fast steps, and was restraining the other with both of his hands.

"Itachi, what's wrong with you?"

The albino's words whispered past him then, even though him nor the miser were in the vicinity.

_"Don't let Itachi drink to much. You do _not _want to see him get drunk…"_

The shark like man had not understood the Jashinist's warning before, and he still didn't. But something was wrong with the college student in his grasp, even if he didn't know exactly what… Hell, the younger hadn't even shown any signs of intoxication! Even though he had probably drank his own weight in spirits!

"Come on, Itachi…" he made the other let go of the man and drop the bottle. He then escorted (dragged) the Uchiha out of the building and into a small ally way only a street or two down. He made the raven sit down against the cold wall, and followed these same actions with a groan.

"I don't know how you got so riled, Itachi… But ya can't be killin' drunkards like that. All it'd do would bite ya in the rear in the end…"

The air between them suddenly chilled and nipped, making the mercenary frown.

"Ne… Did Hidan not want you wasted cause you get more violent or somethin'?"

"…" the ebony eyes did not rise, for they were hidden behind a curtain of light shadow feathers.

"Can't have ya doin' that though. Get ya caught real fast…"

As if something locked time still, no sound came and there was no movement, just them. Not a cricket chirped, nor did a street light flicker. A single car did not pass on the barren road, and no cats mewled in the night. The moon shone, and the stars winked, but there were no clouds to hide them in the dry night. Darkness did not twist and light did not distort images to lies…

It was just them.

And that is why he had no fear when uttered his next few words.

"I'm sure you don't want to go to jail either, for doing the world a and favor all."

His words made his companion's gaze look up in his direction, but his body did not move. Because it was still trapped in the stillness.

"You've probably been wondering why I never really called the authorities…" he laughed under his breath. "'Sides the fact I'd get questioned out the wall because this is the most untrusting country to exist - not like I'm anything to trust - but even they wouldn't get anything… But the reason is I know you didn't slaughter your family like pigs because you wanted to prove anything or some bull shit… it was because you were protecting yourself, your brother, your country… You knew the Uchiha's were planning a coup. And you let your superiors use you…" After a moment of silence, he smiled with twisted humor. "It's probably the dumbest thing I've heard a man do."

The ebony eyes were trained on him now, almost fixated. Those two orbs were one of the things that helped the light blue man read the Uchiha; that and the boy's body language. So because the raven never gave anything away with his expression or his words, he had to learn to watch the other for the slightest hints. And there was an abundance. From tight forearm muscles, stiff crouched back, slightly curled half fists and lifted chin, he could tell the younger was deciding something.

"But," he continued looking right into the coal pools. "It's also one of the bravest things I've heard a man do."

The raven blinked, perhaps a little stunned now, but that was to be expected. So he moved the piece of hair away on the other man, a half smile taking his lips now out of sincerity. But another hand grasped his, and his smile faded. The younger was lightly holding his hand in place while he stared into his eyes. He understood though, despite the silence.

But it was not the other's actions he comprehended.

It was his own.

His hand moved down and cupped the pale cheek. The boy's strange alcohol induced state making him relax into it seemingly, and lull him enough to close his dark eyes. A very tempting sin came to mind then, and it took all his strength to resist his body, and how it wanted to lean forward, and take the younger into his own embrace. It was wrong though. The man before him was an Uchiha, full of pride, beauty, and natural power. So even if he did attempt the action, he would never succeed most likely… Besides…

Soon enough, he would never see the boy again.

END

Kisame came out of his room fully dressed. He found Itachi still reading, much like he suspected, but there was something wrong. The boy seemed, in a word, off. His eyes kept becoming still, meaning he was not taking in the words on the page. He took this as the Uchiha was thinking of something, but he didn't want anyone to know about it, hence he was still holding the book to his nose.

Kisame sighed. "Ne, lets go Itachi." He walked across the room and grabbed the keys to Kakuzu's car off the counter. Sasori had never really explained what happened to his truck, but knowing the redhead, he was pretty sure he didn't want to know. "You ready?"

"Hn." Itachi snapped his book shut and followed the elder man out the door, his mind still trying to decode Kisame's words.

The light blue man had said last night his aforementioned actions had been brave. But he still had yet to understand those few syllables and the meaning behind them. And he had something else to ponder.

"_Huh…You're the bastard king of apathy, ya know that right?" _

Now what had Kisame meant by _that_? He understood that his placid nature made the other man scrutinize him constantly. But had he become a nuisance because of this? He was not soulless, he'd come to realize in the past few days thanks to Kisame. Should he succumb to his true emotions and feelings one day though, he wouldn't know what to do. Because in all honesty, he could only stand so many people, so he had closed himself up nicely and minded his own business. Unfortunately, many people still liked him.

Only with Kisame, it was different.

He actually liked the mercenary in a foreign way.

"Itachi?"

He shifted his eyes up to the other man, who was giving him a wondering look.

"Ya gonna get in the car?"

He blinked and entered the sleek black vehical. Not even bothering to put on his seatbelt, his thoughts drifted about the strange attraction he had to the man…

If only he could figure it out…

Kisame focused on the road, his eyes failing to obey his mind, for he sneaked peeks at the younger. He was anxious about the other man's memory of the pervious night. Did Itachi remember everything? Or did his recollection start to fade after so long? Could he recall the interactions in the ally way? Did he have a new opinion of the shark man?

These questions muddled his mind the entire half our drive to the city's campus. And they grew in size, despite his vexation towards them. He wondered then, as his eyes moved to Itachi every now and then, what the younger was thinking about. And after a while, he noticed his composer was slipping him, and it almost fell away completely when he noticed something about the raven hair… and a peculiar thing it was…

Kisame pulled into the campus grounds, and drove into the college students housing parking lot. He pulled to a stop and turned off the engine, to finally notice that Itachi was studying him.

"What's eatin' ya?" he asked.

Itachi continued to examine him. He was contemplating something; a brash decision, and it was a dangerous one. But was it worth it? To take that chance? He found that he always preferred to over analyze things, to make sure he made the proper choice. So he took into consideration; Kisame's position, current mood, personality, strength, and his regular reaction time. He also took in his own position, speed, and follow up for different possible out comes. There seemed to be decent chance for a positive ending, but by positive, he meant getting out of the car in one piece.

But was that a big enough chance?

"Ne, Itachi…?"

If Kisame had blinked, he would of missed a series of actions that left him amazed. The raven had pushed up and swung his right leg over the console that separated them and placed it on the side of his waist. His other leg followed and he was now straddled by the smaller man. The younger braced himself against his shoulders, relaxed, and placed all his weight in his lap. Lastly, his ebony eyes bore into him in a new way. They were half lidded, such as they were most of the time, but they were dulled in a sense. So it was almost if…

The Uchiha had let down his guard.

So he won't make the first move, but he'll put me in a position to do so… Clever, Kisame thought.

He went slow. First he placed his hand carefully above the younger's hip and brought them closer. When their bodies met, the raven's lip parted the most negligible amount, as if he wasn't used to this kind of contact. Then, cautiously, his free left hand grabbed the other's chin…

And guided them into a kiss.

DAY 66 - TUESDAY - 12:45 A.M. 

Kikaito took in a deep breath as he stood outside Kaito's and Gakupo's room. They had been staying with the Engloids the past three days now, and he couldn't stand it. Not the Engloids themselves, heck, he enjoyed seeing them along with Miki and Piko who had been away for ages. But his conscience was killing him, as were the other Kyoko members. They all told him it was time to get Kaito and Gakupo on their side and give Miku the boot. It was their job to help Sasori and Deidara, and it was about time they started to help. He knew this of course, but why was it his job to take control…?

The blonde sighed, and knocked on the door. When no answer came, he sighed once again and opened the door a crack.

"Who's there?"

Kikaito flinched and stepped into the enterance all the way to show his face. Gakupo being the first person he saw, he couldn't help but gap in wonder at the man's smile

"Ah, it's just you Kikaito. Good timing. Shut the door." The samurai waved.

Baffled, the baritone shut the door and walked into the room, his brother's head appearing from around the corner.

"Nii-san, you do have good timing." His brother smiled.

His brother _smiled_.

"Kaito… You…? And Gakupo-san too…?"

The blue haired man did not let his cheer go, but his look did sadden.

"We decided to not live in memory of the dead and their loss, but instead live for their last wishes."

"Kaito…" he mumbled. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks…" his younger brother looked down for a moment, but looked back up almost at once. "But we need your help."

Kikaito laughed tiredly, ruffling his hair in the process. "I was just about to say the same thing. Everyone has gotten kinda sick of just staying here. And we were wondering if either of you would like to take charge."

Gakupo chuckled from across the room, all the while looking at a set of papers. "You mean you want us to overthrow Miku and go back to Sasori and Deidara-kun?"

"Ahaha… I suppose you could put it that way."

"Don't worry. We're already ahead of you on that," the samurai smirked.

"Actually," Kaito added. "A good five steps ahead on that. But we need you to do something for us."

"Of course." He said with relief. "What do you need?"

"I'll explain," Gakupo stood up and walked over to the brothers. "Kaito, while I tell him, can make sure these are in order?" he handed the smaller man the papers, and for the briefest second, let their hands touch before withdrawing.

"Right." Kaito went back to sit on the bed, while Gakupo explained to Kikaito how the evening's events were going to play out.

"We can't have Miku knowing we're up and about again… We've already consulted Piko and Miki about this, so they're going to be helping as well. But tonight, we want you to help make dinner. When you set the table, put one of these in the Engloid's drinks and Miku's," the purple haired man gave him a pack of small powder pills, all about the size of tack. "Just give them one. It will knock them out for twenty-four hours and give us plenty of time to get to the airport. It will take about ten minutes for everyone to feel the full effects and finally sleep, but once they are, come get us and we'll leave right after that."

"But won't Miku just chase after us?" the baritone questioned.

"She won't be able to find us." Gakupo gave a wicked smile.

"We'll be making a few pit stops," Kaito elaborated. "But before all of this happens, can you get a hold of Sasori to make sure we won't be to late? I know it's risky but…"

"I think I can manage a quick call," he managed to smile. "But I better get on it right away."

"Alright, see you in a few hours then."

Kikaito left the room and shut the door behind him. He felt confident now that those two were better again. And it was even better that they had worked out a complete plan. From what he saw, a few of the papers on the bed, there were three packets of plane tickets, passports, IDs, and a list of weapon registries. This made Kikaito proud of his brother even more so… And since they had figured out everything, Kikaito let the fact his younger brother was sharing a room with only one bed slide with some amusement.

"Good job, Ototo."


	33. Falling into Place

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto... but I do own pickles... and by the way. This is the longest chapter EVER. Though I may actually break it in the future.**

**A/N: Oh my gosh... guys, I just realized something the other day...**

**This is it.**

**After this chapter, there will be like three or four chaps for the climax, and then like two for the wrap up. Then that's it... Suicide on the Line will be done... So I guess that just leaves one, ultimate question.**

**Sequel?**

**Lolz, I shouldn't say that. You guy don't even know how its gonna end. And I'll warn every single one of you right now, I'm not one for typical happy endings if ya catch my drift. Hell, I could kill both of our two lovely artists if I wished. But... meh, I guess you'll find out soon enough.**

**Though, I do have a question for you guys to get ya off the depressing reality. Be honest now, when you very first read this story, like, finished the first chapter and all, who thought it would turn into all of this? Who thought it would involve this many twists, guns and explosions (all of which are coming again! Aren't I great X])? Just wonderin'... And everyone say happy Birth Day to Deidara! Hehe~ Happy B-Day Dei!**

**From an author that saw Insidious and enjoyed herself very much-**

**Teiden~**

DAY 65 - MONDAY - 3:15 A.M

Uragirimono stared out the window behind his desk, the moonlight shining splendidly on his pallid head. He liked nights like this. Ones where he could remember all the hot and silent nights where he rocked himself to sleep covered in slick, salty, sweat and tears. What great memories… He could even remember the night when he heard of Sasori and his parent's deaths. That was a warm night also. He had been so frustrated he shot his own parents and went looking for his precious redhead. Sasori didn't die that easily, he knew. The young puppeteer was the type to never give up at the time, and he still never did. That was one of the things he always liked about Sasori. He always strove for the next step, never stopping 'til he was satisfied.

But that was also the reason they were in this situation right now.

A light tap came to his door, it's creator entering immediately. "Uragirimono-san."

"Shin! What brings you here so early?" he asked spinning around to face the door.

"I came to report something unusual," Shin tilted his head. "I can't find Jiraiyra, Tsunade or Orochimaru anywhere! I at first thought they were having a secret meeting, But I ran into Gly. So I knew they couldn't be having a meeting… Then when I asked him if he knew where the others were, he put a gun to my head and told me drop on my drug filled ass. Isn't he a funny man?"

"Quite," the white haired man smiled. "But do not worry, I have taken care of them."

"What?" Shin blinked a little thrown off.

"Do you remember, at that meeting where I first 'met' you all? The little rhymes I used?" he chuckled.

"Ooohhhh… Ummm… I know you said funny things… like a loin and a unicorn and… something about men."

"Correct. I spoke in riddle. And if any of those fools had a shred of their memories of their disruptive adolescence, they would remember the rhymes they grew up with."

"I didn't grow up in this country, but as far as I know, all your little songs are about misery," Shin smiled as his eyes became thinner yet.

"Yes…" Uragirimono started to think about the little rhymes he decided to put into play. And how they were already showing their signs.

"Three wise men of Gotham,

They went to sea in a bowl,

If the bowl had been stronger

My song would be longer"

He paused for a minute, then burst with a roar. "Isn't it a quaint little tune? Quite morbid isn't it?"

"So… you…?" Shin tilted his head again, not believing his ears.

But Uragirimono just continued to sing his song.

4:30 A.M.

Tsunade stared at the small motor boat that was supposed to take her and two of her fellow gang leaders across the lake. They were to meet Uragirimono to discuss the plans in a discrete building across the water side. It was for the best, the white haired had man had told them, that this meeting was in such a baron area. So that way, there was absolutely no chance of them being interrupted, or even found. But it still didn't mean that she wasn't weary of the situation.

"Why do we have to go in a boat?" Jiraiyra scratched his head.

"Have you seen the size of the lake?" Orochimaru hissed. "We're not in the park. It would take us hours to get around."

"Which means we have no time to waste," Tsunade rolled her eyes as she climbed into the motor boat, already heading for the engine. "What's this…?" the large breast woman questioned.

Orochimaru peered over the side. "They're life jackets. Is there anything strange with that?"

"…I suppose not. Lets go."

The two men followed her as the boat came to life, and they started their travel across the lake on the quiet morning. It was a slow trek. The lake outside the city limits was huge, it stretched two miles wide at least, and to go around it would take up a full afternoon. So by boat they went to get to the opposing waterside.

But this lake was to be the down fall of these three very powerful people.

The engine started to sputter and slow. Leaving them in the middle of the of the gray-green.

"What's wrong?" Jiraiyra asked.

Orochimaru stood and began to study the engine, but there was a faint echo.

And the white faced man fell to the water, bleeding from his skull.

"Orochimaru? Oi…!" Jiraiyra turned and saw the pale corpse floating in the water. "Orochimaru!"

Tsunade turned and saw what had happened, and her eyes almost dropped out of her head. "Snipers."

"Quick, put on the life jackets!" Jiraiyra rushed to grab one of the jackets and strapped it on fast. "Quickly, before they reload." He jumped into the water, and almost instantly started to sink. "What?" he struggled and splashed. "Tsunade, don't! They're water activated lead jackets." He tried to undo the belt but it was sealed, and sure enough, his head disappeared below the water.

And the air bubbles stopped coming.

Tsunade grasped the side of boat, her throat dry. She dived below the edge of the vessel, and began to desperately think. She couldn't stand, her brains would only be blown out. She couldn't use the life jacket or else she'd drown… Perhaps she could get a hold of Gly? She didn't know why the man didn't want to come, but quite frankly, she was glad he didn't. He may be her only way of getting out of this hell of a situation.

She rummaged in her pocket, finding her phone and speed dialing.

Her phone had no bars.

"Shit." She bit her lip and made a risky move. She raised her hand a little more, just enough so her phone would get some service.

But as soon as her phone was above the boat, there was another faint echo, and a huge hole was placed in her wrist, blowing offer her entire hand.

Tsunade bit her lip and brought her arm back down.

That damn sniper took off her hand! … And her cell phone with it!

She bit her lip even harder to make it bleed. There was no way she could escape. And so she sat there, for two days, growing weaker each passing minute. After the first day, being surprised she had not died of blood loss, she decided to try and stand to see if she could get away, but ended up getting her shoulder blown up. So Tsunade died slowly, while Jiraiyra stated to become bloated from the water beneath her, and Orochimaru floated, his red blood shining in the sun light. This left only Gly to lead the merciless gangs, but he disappeared on his own accord.

Leaving Uragirimono in control of over eight hundred killers.

DAY 66 – TUESDAY – 12:38 P.M.

Bambi moved faster then her body could mentally understand. The tall grass cut at her legs, and the dark swallowed her sight. An owl called. And the blonde felt the urge to scream. She didn't want to do this. But she had to. It was the only way… Wasn't it? If she wanted to get Cherry back…? This was…

A tear slipped.

"Damn memories…" she quickly rubbed the salty water away, and quietly chided herself under the night's dark cloak. She wasn't a child anymore. And things weren't the same.

They weren't the same.

"Shit."

She kept running, her pace even more frantic. This had to be done tonight, or else she may never get an opportune chance like this. "One shot," she kept muttering. And that was all she needed really. One shot. Everything would be easier then. Her part would be finished, and Cherry would be safe. That was all that mattered. Cherry.

A small building came into view. It was partially hidden by the trees, but it's lights gave away it away. Finding it all to easy though, she sunk into the grass, slithered into the trees and up to the windows. It was only a one story shack, so there were only so many places that woman could be hiding. Even still, Bambi found herself incredibly lucky that she located the window she was looking for right off the bat… and by an electrical box… Was it just her? Or did all of this seem so… convenient? Almost like this was supposed to happen.

Like she was supposed to do this.

Bambi flipped out her pocket knife from her shorts and opened the small box. Finding the right wire, she cut it and went to find the next window down. It was easy to open. A small old building like this was bound to have poor quality structures. But didn't that woman even look into fixing it up a little? Even if she was just staying for the night, wouldn't you think she would at least want to look into the security?

The window slid open with out a creak, and the blonde rolled her eyes. "Guess not…"

She took a gulp of air, grabbed her gun and swung her leg into the building. She was in a hallway, but there was a door right next to her that presumably led to that woman's office. But there was something wrong. There was absolutely no one around, and there didn't even seem to be anyone else in the tiny run down dump. So was she supposed to think this was a trap…? No. It couldn't be. There was no way anyone could know of her intentions, because no one knew of her past.

Not a soul knew about her childhood. Before the street and the gangs, before the violence and hate. No one knew about the memories she cherished… The ones where she was running around the back allies with her best friend, Cherry, and her older sister, Itazura. Bambi to this day laughed at the times they had together. Like when she goaded Cherry into pulling a prank on Itazura. The elder girl was beyond pissed when she noticed all her best clothes were given to the homeless man that liked to wander around the better side of town. Hell, she could even remember when the three of them skipped school and went to the lake right outside of town for the entire day.

But all of that changed… Cherry got sick of her rich life, and being treated like royalty. So she asked Bambi to run away with her. But she couldn't do that. Even though her life was crap, she could never leave her family, or her friends. So she begged the redhead to stay, but the girl wouldn't have it. Cherry ran away and made her living as a thief. Bambi then grew distant from Itazura out of guilt, and fell to the gangs. Itazura became the girl she was supposed to be. As the eldest and now only girl of a prestige family surrounded by filth, she played her part and became responsible, and distant.

As Bambi thought about the past, she wondered if it all could have been avoided. Maybe if she stopped her friend from leaving, or if she had gone with her for that matter… Would it have been any different? Would all three of their lives be better…?

"Doesn't matter," she mumbled to herself. "This is here and now, and I have to do what I have to do." She grasped the handle of the door and turned it quickly with her gun already drawn. She entered the room in a flash, and was right before Itazura.

The woman looked up, stunned. "Hello… old friend."

"Itazura," she nodded the gun as if it was a common greeting.

"I haven't seen you in years," the elder woman smiled behind her desk. "Did you come to reminisce?"

Bambi cocked her gun. "I'm afraid I don't have time for tales, Itazura."

"Pity… So what did you come here for?"

"I'm here to take care of something that should have been done long ago… I've researched everything. Everything. I now know the truth, and your god forsaken plan… So I'm gonna finish everythin' here."

"Truth? Plot? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Don't you dare lie ya spit balling old hag! I know Uragirimono placed Meme in Cherry's care after you ordered her parents dead. That little girl was your spy, wasn't she witch? She even informed that bastard of Sasori's location when he moved into that building of ex-criminals! But your plan had a flaw. You didn't think Meme would get attached to your sister because you thought she was stupid, retarded even. All because of her small body and lack of verbal interaction. And now you don't even know if they're dead or alive." Bambi grit her teeth, her frustration growing as she wound herself up further. "You used your own sister and a little girl for fucked reasons… even I have no apathy for that."

"I see," the other woman smiled. "And now that you know all of this, what are you going to do?"

"Chih! …The only thing I _want_ to do is get Cherry back. So…"

"How do you know she's not dead?"

"Because," Bambi laughed bitterly. "It seems every redhead I know… is stubborn as hell, doesn't take shit from anybody, and won't die no matter how many bullets are in their back."

"I see…" Itazura frowned, finding the statement accurate to her dismay. "It does seem that way, doesn't it? But what I also find to be a re-accruing pattern, is that every stubborn redhead as an equally psychotic blonde."

Bambi flinched, finding that a little true as well.

"Unfortunately for you, my dear old friend, is that you've already been replaced."

"What are you shitting about now?" she snarled.

"If put at gun point, whom do you think Cherry would save; you or Meme?"

Bambi faltered for a moment, but regained herself in a matter of seconds. "I know she would pick Meme… I know I've been replaced, ya witch. I've known that it was bound to happen ever since I decided not to run away with her all those years ago. But that doesn't matter. As long as Cherry's safe, I'm pleased with life. Which is why I'm going to follow through with what I planned to do tonight."

"And what is that? Shoot me? Kill me? Hold me hostage?"

"Naw, none of that…" Bambi prayed up to the lord, hoping she would be forgiven after the choice she was about to make… because after this, she would be lower then scum… "If I help take care of Sasori and Deidara… will you help me find Cherry?"

Itazura felt a victory embrace her as she stared at the smaller woman. Uragirimono had been right after all. "Of course," she said. "I've been eager to see Sis anyway. Now how about you take the room down the hall and get some rest? I'm sure you've had a long and tiring day of swallowing your pride and coming your senses."

"Whatever…" Bambi twirled her gun around her finger once and slid back in it's holster to head for the door, but stopped when she had her hand on the handle. "And it wasn't about coming to my senses, it was about figuring out my priorities and loyalties."

"Well I'm sure that's a mess of a list. But tell me, if you were just coming to join me, then why did you bring that horrid weapon?"

"Hmph, it was never for you, crone. It was just incase you denied me… which means I'd rather be dead by my own hand." Bambi left with that, her soft smile making Itazura grimace that much more.

"Not only are you ignorant blondes all psychotic," she stated to the open air. "You all are ridiculously suicida…l"

DAY 67 – WEDNESDAY – 10:28 A.M.

God did Deidara feel good. But not just that, he felt refreshed!

It was still morning, and the air was slightly cool even with the sun above. Currently, he and Sasori were in the back allies behind the apartment building. When they weren't planning for the inevitable, they were here, 'training' the blonde to make sure he could defend himself if worst came to worst. And so that meant conditioning, target practice, cardio, and some hand to hand combat.

Now target practice was frustrating because of his bad eye, and the combat was interesting at points, but cardio and conditioning were all the same to him. But none of that mattered… because the important thing was… He could go outside and wear shorts! And he didn't even have to where a skirt over them! It was such a magnificent thing, he didn't even care if everyone looked at him as if he was crazy. He was just happy he could wear normal, _male_, clothing once again.

"Brat… Brat!"

"Hn?" Deidara looked up from where he was sitting on the cracking gravel.

"Repeat everything I just said." Sasori said while pinching his nose.

He groaned, but started to spit the words out like a broken record. "There are forty-seven pressure points in the body, un. Five in your head. Five in your neck and around the collar bone. Eight on your torso. Thirteen in your arms. Seven from your upper thighs to the waist. And nine from your legs to your feet, un… They can be used to knock people out, restrain them, or even control someone to an extent…" he grinned smugly. "See Danna? Even when I look like I'm not paying attention, I'm listening, un."

"Hn?" The redhead crossed his arms. "Then what would you do if someone did this?"

Sasori used his heel and slammed it against the blonde's temple, sending him to the ground. Deidara's vision became impaired, and he could only sense that the other man was on top of him. He could tell his hands were being grasped, and that his knees were stuck too. But vaguely, he could make out the red hair that was above him, and the brown eyes looking down.

"That hurt like hell, un…" he mumbled.

"Come on brat, I could of killed you by now. What do you do?"

"Ugh… Fine." Deidara hated this part of practice.

He rammed his head up, and their skulls bashed together. The blonde then took the moment to get his hands free and push the elder up with the help of knee. Once the other was off of him, he spun and pinned the puppeteer below him by restraining his wrists with one hand, his left palm against the other's jugular, and his knees tight against Sasori's thighs. But his head was still throbbing… So for pay back, he sat on the man below him, fully enjoying the annoyed expression of his Danna."

"Hn. It seems you have been paying attention… But I do not recall teaching you to sit on your targets." The redhead said through his teeth.

"I know, but this is more fun, un." Deidara laughed.

"Brat, take this seriously. Do you want to die?"

And there, the happiness faded. His smile fell, and sober, bitter reality whipped him. How predictable.

"Ne… Danna? What would you do if I died?"

"Don't be ridiculously. You're not going to die unless you set off some useless explosion on what you would call an 'artistic whim'."

Deidara smile just a little, but he saw what the elder was doing. "You're obviously worried that I am, or else you wouldn't be teaching me all this stuff, un."

"These are things you should know. And I would never let you die, Deidara. You knowing this just lightens the fact that I'll have to save your ass if things get bad."

A grim look came to his features, as his eyes softened. "Liar…"

Sasori clicked his teeth together and furrowed his brows. He knocked Deidara off his stomach and slammed the other against the brick wall. He then lifted up the blonde bangs and stared directly into the blue eyes, one vibrant and one withered, and captured the younger's attention. Sasori could tell the blonde was not frightened by these actions, but he was thoroughly surprised. So that was why he spoke calmly, as was his routine.

"Deidara. Let me tell you a little secret. Your fleeting, asinine art, which you claim to be perfect, makes me seethe. In saying art is fleeting, you believe it. So your mind thinks that is how beautiful things should be. Because of this I can almost safely assume that had you not called me, you'd be a suicide bomber."

"…" Deidara blinked, seemingly lost in a stupor, so Sasori continued, his eyes never leaving the blue they inhabited.

"I say this because it helps me remember why I loath your art. And trust me, Deidara. Words have power, so I will say this as many times as you want until you are completely rapt. If you were of late, I would suffer for the rest of my eternity. I'd be lost and frozen as everything moved around me," he gave that smile then, the one that was ironically gentle that also held the utmost dominance. "And I could only imagine how you would fair without me. So to avoid that, I will secure your existence by whatever means necessary. I do not care if you are on the verge of plummeting into the darkness, if so, I will change you to be like me. Even if you hate and resent me for it, and try to run from my sanctimonious face, I'll merely lock you away. So do not fret, your death is the most unlikely thing to ever happen. Do you understand?" His hand slid down the younger's face, caressing it. "Your chances of accomplishing ruin range from nix to nil. So do not even try and think other wise, Deidara. It's pointless."

Deidara looked into the brown orbs, finding himself in the most enticing hex. He had to replay each word in his mind, making sure they were engraved. Sasori had spoken so fluently in that mellifluous voice of his, that it sounded as if he was reciting poetry… but once the words had caught up to him…

"Hmph," he closed his eyes and nestled into the redhead's hand, enjoying it's comfort. "You pompous, arrogant, selfish bastard… that was probably the most grandiloquent speech I've ever heard, un."

Sasori lowered his head so their foreheads were touching, and so their heats mixed in the gray, gray ally. "Hm? My brat knows some big words, who knew?"

"You're also the most empathetic man to ever live, un… also the bane of humanity."

"You flatter."

"No," the blonde pecked their lips together. "Not really. I would almost question why I love you, because most people would call me insane, un. But there would be no point, I suppose."

"Hn. Look at my brat growing up," the redhead chuckled, and he joined in.

"Sure. If that's what you want to call it, un…"

He opened his eyes, and felt himself already being drawn in. He even started to close his lids again. But…

"Aw! Look at the cute berks!"

The artists shot their eyes to the back door of the apartments, glaring at Nigai as her black hair whipped back from her face as she laughed.

"Damn Sasori! You've tainted him to the point even your scowls look the same!"

"What do you want?" Deidara growled.

"Chill, chill. I'm just here to tell ya you have guests. And they're not the type that should be kept waiting, so I'd hurry." The young teen took her exit and shut the door behind her. Leaving the artists to their shattered moment.

"…I hate guests now, un. They all suck."

Sasori laughed, deep and low in his chest, and gave his blonde a light kiss. "Come on Dei. Lets see what disruptive company we have this time." He stood and offered a hand, which Deidara gladly took.

The two artists went inside. They crossed the small shared kitchen and entered the lobby, finding a surprising lot before their wake.

"Kikaito…" Sasori locked eyes with the baritone, his mild shock only being displayed in his slightly risen eye lids.

"We'd like to keep our word, Sasori, and help you to our full extent." Kikaito bowed, showing the rest of the scattered Kyoko members throughout the space.

"And we would like to apologize, Sasori-san," Kaito stepped up, Gakupo close behind. "We were acting weak, and should of followed through with our duties."

"We hope you'll forgive us," the purple hair samurai finished, and inclined his head.

"There is no need to apologize," he stated. "You both were feeling grief from your lost loves, and you needed time to cope. That is understandable. And I'm grateful you all returned."

"But tell us," Deidara intervened. "Where's Miku, hn? She can't approve of this. Did she stay behind once you two regained control?"

"Please don't think to badly of her Deidara." Rin pleaded from her spot next to her brother on the steps. "She just wanted us to be safe. And she did it the same way any of would of done it, but…"

Len grabbed her hand so she would calm, and finished her thought for her. "What she means to say is, we've always acted like cowards, and Miku did what she thought was right. But we all felt sick for living like that, and for leaving Deidara."

"What about me?" Sasori raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, we don't care about you," Nigaito giggled from Taito's shoulders by the door. "You're no fun." The boy's titter was contagious, and everyone laughed except the now pissed redhead.

"So… I guess you could say…" Gumi looked skyward at her goggles, trying to think of the right word.

But Akaito found it first. "So you could say we decided to grow a pair."

The room filled with dulcet sounds again, and things seemed normal in that minute of happiness.

"Right!" Kaito smiled. "So, in the name of our missing master, Kinkou Yama," he rambled.

But Sasori was no longer paying attention, he was noe drawn off in thought. Kinkou… that name was sending off warning bells… Where had he heard that name before?

"We, the members of the Kyoko-"

He knew he'd heard it, but he could only remember it vaguely.

"Promise you, fellow mercenary Akasuna Sasori, and our friend, Deidara-"

Come on… It was right on the tip of his tongue! It was…! …No… It couldn't be…

"Our loyalty and complete trust."

Oh shit.

12:07 P.M.

Deidara walked down the hall of the second floor, irritated. Sasori had disappeared shortly after the Kyoko came to visit, and now it was pissing him off. Kikaito and the others were risking their lives for the two of them and now it seemed his Danna was cold enough to not even give a care. Honestly, the man was rude as hell, but this was on a different level.

Down the passage, he saw a door open to what used to be Cherry and Meme's room. But he knew that was not who inhabited that space now. Teto and the rest of the Utauloids had now taken up it's vacancy for the time being. But perhaps Sasori wanted to discuss something with them?

"Danna?"

The door shut, and a redhead did appear, but not the right one.

"Oh, hey Ritsu, un."

"Deidara…" The dress wearing boy looked up and greeted him.

The blonde shifted under the smaller boy's gaze. Ritsu had a habit, he understood, to stare at someone fully when he was thinking. Kinda like when someone was zoning out; but this was a little different. Instead of staring at anything random, he would become fixated on the person or object he was observing. The sculptor had learned of this trait when he and the little redhead went out for some shopping. Ritsu had been annoyed with his companions, and Sasori had shooed him away. So they put on their best gowns (because he still couldn't be recognized) and stormed the city. And, to his highest surprise, Ritsu actually turned out to be good company. They shared similar opinions, and they even had common situation.

They both were regularly taken as girls.

Now, this was what Ritsu wanted of course, but, again, they both and similar problems. Like they both had the hardship of figuring out which bathroom to use and such. But that was not how Deidara noticed this odd trait. The both of them had decided to go out to dinner. The sculptor knew he'd probably get it when he returned to the apartments, but he didn't care all that much. They had chosen a quaint little place, where the their server was nice and the food was decent. But something was off. Ritsu started watching their waitress constantly, and Deidara didn't get it. The girl seemed nice enough, smiled plenty and brought them bread and water before they could even pick up their menus. But the smaller boy still continued to watch the woman throughout the meal. Finally, when they were having their lava cookie desert, he said:

"Our waitress was once a man."

The blonde almost spit Coke and hot fudge.

"How in the hell can you tell?"

"I just can."

"Ritsu," he lowly scolded. "You can't just say our waitress is-! I mean was a man, un."

At that moment, the woman had come to give them their bill, and had unfortunately heard him. The woman ran off in tears, and Deidara felt like shit for the rest of the night.

So because of that incident, Deidara had become very weary of the cross dresser and his manner of over analyzing. And now that he was staring so… intently on him… no one could really blame him for being a little anxious.

"Um… Ritsu, is everything okay, un?"

The other continued to stare for some time before he seemed ready to speak. "From this apartment, I over heard your conversation with Sasori. Know that I did not mean to, our windows were open and they face the allies. But may I comment on something?"

"Ah…? Sure?"

"It was a stupid question to ask."

"Um… thank you for telling me that…" if Deidara could deflate, he would do so at that moment. Stupid blunt prick…

"I do not say that for the reason you think. It is common for any pair of lovers to wonder such a thing; what their other half would do without them. But it is obvious that you can take care of yourself, and that Sasori, or anyone else downstairs for that matter, would take a bullet for you. But I think you should reorganize you inquiry priority."

"Un…?" Yeah, he was lost. Big time.

"Don't you think you should be wondering what is going to happen after all of this done? Sasori is a mercenary, an assassin, a killer for hirer. He has enemies all around the world and can not have you to worry about and protect. It would never be allowed. You would be a liability. His only weakness. Even if he can protect you, I'm sure his boss would still make him drop you for the sake of their organization… I'm not saying this to try and frighten you, Deidara. I just want you to be ready for the future, so you don't get hurt… Good day."

Ritsu walked on, leaving Deidara in the hallway.

Swallowed in the nostalgic hollowness.

DAY 68 – THURSDAY – 5:28 P.M.

Gly stepped down the street, his tattered top hat providing minimal shade. He was certain by now his fellow leaders were dead, so there was no point in returning to the warehouse. His boys could take of themselves anyway. He only regretted leaving his niece, Tenten, by herself. So the only thing left to decide was to either join the opposing side, or ditch town. His pride told him it be cowardly to leave the fight now, but it was also none of his business to join the others. He hadn't seen Bambi in a while, so it was safe to assume she was either dead or in trouble. But that left him with no allies.

"Hmm… What to do…"

He started to wander around aimlessly, not giving a care. It's not like anyone could kill him anyway, but it would still be a nuisance if someone tired. The streets were full, and there was plenty of people about. There was no one he recognized through, meaning everyone was probably planning for what was to come.

"Eight hundred people…" he mumbled to himself. "That Sasori fellow better be as notorious as they say."

Gly walked on, past a little cafe and supermarket. But then he heard some screams.

"Help! That man is taking my son! Help!"

He looked across road and saw a man running with a little boy slung across his shoulders. The police were following him, but if it weren't for the small boy's cries, they would of lost him in the crowd. Gly followed in parallel to the kidnapper. He was moving fast, but not so much he couldn't move in a hasty speed walk. The police were catching up, but the kidnapper darted across the road to his side. He stepped into a run and followed the man with the help of the boy's cries. Gly was nearing his fifties, but he was catching up to the guy a lot faster then the police, so what did it matter?

"Why am I doing this…?" he questioned himself aloud out of habit. "Is it because…?"

FLASHBACK – 13 Years ago

A man in his late thirties had the biggest smile any man could sport. With dark eyes that always shined bright, this man thought his life couldn't be any better. It was eight years ago now, that he had an honorary discharge from the military and was finally able to marry. He and his wife had a beautiful little girl. She was the spitting image of him in every way. From her coal hair, calm attitude and tall stance, she always made him proud.

His daughter was currently on the swings, her soft smile highlighting her baby face features.

He walked up behind her, and pushed the swing even higher. His daughter giggled. "Higher, daddy! Higher!"

"Alright," he laughed and made the swing give a big swoosh from his over powering muscles. "Now how about you keep going and I'll get us some ice cream?"

"Okay!" She chirped and continued to pump with all her might, trying to get that same thrill of the air whipping through her hair.

The man went to find the ice cream truck he noticed earlier. The park was almost vacant, so he could understand if the vender decided to find business else where. But a shrill, heart piercing scream shattered him.

"_DADDY!_"

The man turned around just in time to see a figure disappear into the woods, with small legs kicking behind them. His body started moving on it's own. He stomped down anything under his feet and trampled anything in his path. His heart rate increased and all the veins surged out of his neck. Not his little girl. He would not lose his little girl!

"Daddy! Tell him to let me go!"

He heard the cries, the pleads, the threats, and his legs pumped that much more. He could not lose her. Not her.

"You little bitch!" A man's hoarse voice screamed.

And a gun shot sounded.

A scream… he heard his little girl scream.

"Kara!"

The man, he suddenly cried out too, and there another gun shot. Oh god, another gun shot. But that told him he was close.

"Kara! You have to tell me where you are!"

The gun fired again, and he headed through the thick trees towards it. The man came to a patch near a large fern. There was dead pine needles everywhere that were splattered with blood, and a man's turned over corpse spilling more red. But his little girl was a few feet away from the man, with her eyes closed.

The man kneeled before her, and brought the small body into his arms. Blood completely covered the lower half of her face, and she was still bleeding profusely from her stomach. But she also had a gun in her hand…

"Daddy…?" She opened her eyes to mere hair's width, and a faded smile formed on her stained face.

"Sshhh…" he hushed, hoping his voice wouldn't fail him. "It's alright… Daddy's here…"

"I … hurts…"

"Don't worry…" his voice croaked as his eyes started to water. His little girl… his pride… "It'll be over soon. I promise." He kissed her forehead, his body now physically aching.

He knew from his training, that since she was shot in her stomach… she had less then fifteen minutes to live… and they were going to be painful ones.

"I… killed him, daddy…" her smile grew even more, her own tears now making her shake.

"What…?"

"He… I… kept yelling for you… he got mad. So he… shot me, and it hurt… So I… bit his neck off and took his gun… shot him, in the head…"

"You what?"

Cradling his little girl, he turned the man over and saw that it was true. She had literally taken a huge bite out of his throat with her sharp baby teeth. And she also had managed to blow a good portion of his head off with the gun. So just like him… she didn't go down with out a fight. His little girl had actually killed a man. He… was proud.

"Was I wrong...?"

"No…" held her tighter, careful of the pain she was already receiving "You fought back, just like your daddy."

"Just like daddy…" her eyes closed, and her breathing started to slow as her tiny fist clung to his shirt. "I'm not going to… see you again… am I?"

"Why do you say that? Daddy is gonna take you and get you better. Then we're going to go home and tell mommy. She'll be mad, but we'll laugh about it later and finally get that ice cream."

Her grip tightened, and her tears came out so rapidly with her shaky breath that she almost choked. "I love you daddy…"

"I love you too."

"Daddy…" she started to reach down, and she grasped the gun with her trembling fingers. "It hurts… Daddy…"

The dark haired man gasped. He couldn't… No…

"I love you daddy… but it hurts…"

She smiled. His little girl was smiling at him.

He gulped, but only his raw throat was left. "It hurts, does it…? I… can… I love you, Kara"

She closed her eyes as she felt the heated tip press against her skin. The man's hand was violently quivering as his finger touched the trigger. It was so cold, just like his little girl… He didn't want to. He couldn't. This was his daughter. His pride and joy. His very reason for existing. She was everything to him. How could any parent even think of hurting their child? The life they created… She was…

"Daddy." Her hand came up with out his knowing, and she pushed back his numb finger so easily, that he hadn't even realized what had happened after the shot echoed in his mind, over, and over. It was finally when the sun set, and the rescue teams arrived, that he fully understood.

His little girl was gone.

END

So as Gly stood face to face with a kidnapper, the little boy crying in his arms, he wondered if he was doing this because of his little girl. If so, he knew it would do no good for him, but he would be saving another heart break. A week after his daughter's death, his wife killed herself, and there was only him. But Gly was stronger than that. He was not afraid of life, so he avoided the noose. Instead he turned to drinking, which consumed him for three years. Finally, after reality slapped him like a bitch, he gathered himself and moved. Gained power in the underworld, and found a new life. He didn't mind. But he doubted most men could do what he did. So he refused to let any father go through what he did. Even if it was just this… he was protecting someone's love, their child. Even if he couldn't protect his own… He _could_ do this. He _would_ do this.

"Drop the gun, or the kid gets a bullet in the head." The kidnapper snapped.

"I don't think you understand your full position, Sir. You are going to die whether or not the child is safe or not."

The man backed up as the little boy's snot ran down his hand. "Just shut it and put the gun down! Or else the kid is dead you ass! You really want to kill a kid?"

"…You have five seconds… Five." He cocked his barrel.

"You're bluffing man!"

"Four." He took off the safety. "Three."

"You're crazy man!"

"Two."

"Stop, this is the police!"

"One."

His magnum fired, and the man's head exploded like a light blub. The skull shattered like glass, as the blood and brain tissue flew out like a quick spark. The little boy ran past him and to his mother who was staring wide eyed just like the police in front of her. He started to walk past them as a crowd gathered. He didn't bother with any of their questions, accusations and thanks. He merely walked on, deciding what he was to do from now on. For this old man with his tattered top hat and shaggy coal hair was no coward, but knew where he stood. He was no hero, or savior.

But he was a mediator.

DAY 70 – SATURDAY – 6:29 P.M.

"So… That'll be it, won't it, un?" Deidara asked as he stared at the 'urgent' news cast.

"I suspect so." Sasori replied.

Everyone in the apartments, attendants, mercenaries and Utauloids alike, were all staring at the small TV in the sitting room off the lobby. The anchor woman was now announcing, city wide, that there was to be a bomb security test. So all residents were to evacuate for the weekend 'til the city was fully secure and tested. Now of course this was just all of Itazura's bull shit to get the civilians out of the city. Because eight hundred thugs going on a man hunt/killing spree was bound to leave damage, of course. But seriously, a bomb security test?

"She's an idiot, un."

"Agreed, but she's also very powerful," Clouw narrowed his eyes at the screen.

"Doesn't matter, we'll kill'm all." Nigai laughed, but Nana Ha slugged her upside the head.

"Hush, you ignorant child."

"Hn. Ritsu, call and inform the Kyoko. Deidara, get a hold of Itachi and Hidan. I'll contact Kakuzu and Kisame."

"Of course, Sasori." Ritsu nodded and left the room to use his phone. The puppeteer then waited to see if the younger would react, but he just sat on the couch, zoned in to the television.

"Deidara."

"Oh… un." The blonde left and headed upstairs, for his apartment most likely.

Deidara had been acting a little strange lately, but the redhead figured it was because he was drained from all the preparation they had been preforming, and the stress of the situation of course. But something else was different.

At that moment, his phone started buzzing. So he excused himself to the lobby and stood by the window to flip open his phone.

"Hello?"

"Sasori." A deep voice rumbled across the line.

"Pein-sama, have they been delivered?"

"Yes… All to the locations you requested."

"Hn. This helps. I've got more work to do before things finally end."

"I see. How much longer do you believe this job will last, Sasori?"

"I'd say less then two weeks.

"Good. I suggest you start filling out your report. The sooner you do, the sooner you can send out your next application."

"Hn. That reminds me. I need to talk to you about a pressing matte…r and I assume Kisame and Kakuzu may want to speak to you also…"

12:58 A.M

Sasori stumbled into his apartment on the third floor, drained of almost all life. He had been filling out his report thus far for hours now. It was always unnerving when he had long, extended jobs like these. It was rare, but it had happened once or twice before. And the paper work was just a nightmare.

"Danna…?" Deidara looked up from the couch where he had been reading. After he informed Hidan and Itachi of what was going to happen a week form today, he had helped himself to the elder's library to keep his mind of some things… "Are you alright, un?"

"Just a little tired, I've had worse," the elder said laying by the teen on the furnishing. "Shouldn't you be asleep," he asked pinching the bridge of his nose with closed eyes.

"Don't really feel like sleeping, un," the blonde sat up, frown lines creasing his forehead. "Danna…?" Deidara grimaced when the other didn't respond. So he gently rolled on to other man, careful not to put to much weight on the redhead.

But Sasori's eyes shot open as if he had been stabbed..

"…What are you doing…?"

"I haven't seen Danna in a while… I want to be near him, un."

"What are you talking about?" the puppeteer grimaced. "I've seen you every day for the past week."

The younger's expression did not falter, and it was then Sasori realized that Deidara was tired too. Perhaps even more so than him. And even though they had seen each other constantly for the duration of the week, they had no time for each other. Leaving both of them a little strained.

"Deidara."

The blonde turned his head up from where it had been resting on his chest, and bat open his eyes with a mellow nature. "Hn?"

Sasori's hand rose and lifted the sculptors chin so their lips connected. Deidara enjoyed the kiss, he really did. It seemed like time had been sucked away from him, and now every moment ticked away without his awareness. But he liked this. He felt sober and light headed at the same time when he kissed Sasori. It was like he was getting a buzz without becoming numb. It was like he was being cared for without being smothered. It was like… he was being loved.

The redhead pulled him closer, and soon enough their tongues decided to come out and enjoy themselves. But air was always needed, and they separated to stare and take in their other half.

"Why is it…" Deidara chuckled. "That only your lower half seems to be function, hn?" he asked feeling the half hard redhead with his thigh.

"Because I have a brat on top of me." Sasori said flatly.

The younger felt some pain from those words, and thought suddenly that he should probably roll off the redhead and head to bed. It wasn't Sasori's fault he had been hurt, he knew that, it was just the way the elder acted when he was tired…

"Who is also my lover."

Deidara's eyes opened at that. Sasori had never called them lovers before. And he had never really thought that hard about it. Plus after some newly realized things… he didn't…

"Danna…"

Sasori didn't let him finish. The redhead brought him into another kiss and they were lost in themselves soon enough. The elder sat up to an extent where he had the arm of the couch to lean up against, making Deidara follow him to keep their kiss in tact. Before long, the blonde felt a hand groping his ass as the mild erection Sasori was sporting rubbed up against him. They were both excited, Deidara could tell, but it seemed the redhead was also exhausted.

So he decided to do his Danna a favor.

"Let me ride you, un."

"Hn?" They separated, and suddenly their was mouth licking his cock up and down, making it hard to the point of pain. "When did you-?" the hand mouth's tongue came out and started to suck on his slit, then turned up and down his length. "Deidara…" he shuddered as he looked up to see yet another surprise. His blonde was panting on top of him, red faced, sweat already shining near his roots, and shaking like a leaf.

"Ah… ah… Danna…" Deidara placed his head under his chin as he lightly trembled, giving him a full view of the other's backside.

Not only was the younger's hand in his trousers, but also his own. From what he could see, Deidara had used his hand mouth to suck on his fingers, and was now stretching himself while his other hand slicked up member.

"Dei… you didn't have to do this…"

Well, he wasn't going to say 'you _don't_ have to do this'. Deidara had made it this far, and there would be no point in stopping now… That, and the brat finger fucking himself was just damn hot.

"I know," Deidara smiled below his gaze. "I want to though, un."

It was perfect really. While he took care of himself with the saliva from his hand mouth, the other was making sure the puppeteer was entertained and prepared. And if he rode Sasori, that required almost no effort on the elder's part. Satisfying the both of them.

Sasori pulled him up and nearly attacked him with his tongue and lips. "You're to good for me…" he whispered. "But you're also to good for every damn breathing thing alive. So you're mine." He smirked as he nibbled on the tan neck on the younger, his joy coming out in soft chuckles.

But Deidara flinched. Had it not been for his light shudders, he was sure the elder would of noticed.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, un," he mumbled as he sat up and slid his jeans and briefs down, his member twitching wildly as Sasori's hand up came up to lightly stoke it. He then, with limited control, moved the elder's pants down that were already undone.

Sasori held up his cock as he positioned himself above it to slowly let it fill him. His body was already hot, and with the elder already inside him completely, he couldn't help but moan at the erotic thought. When he was used to the sensation, he lifted up as he braced himself up against the redhead's shoulders. He found a steady pace that he was able to handle, because if it wasn't for Sasori's hand on his hip to help him, the pleasure of hitting his prostate directly each time would of made him gone crazy. But then there was another hand that was caressing his cock as his body moved up and down, his thick hair sticking to his back thanks to his sweat drenched body. God, there was so much hot pleasure he just wanted to cum then and there.

"Ah… ah… ng, Dei… dara, ah…" Sasori grit his teeth as the warmth encasing him tightened, creating the most delicious friction.

"Dan… ah… nm…" he started to go faster as his nails dug into the other's shoulder blades. "A…! Ah… ah…! Danna!" The coil in his stomach tightened further, and so did the muscle gasping Sasori's member.

"God Dei…!" The elder started to pump him rapidly, his own sweat and pre-cum making it feel that much better.

"Danna! I'm… close, un… ah! Ah…! Ah!"

Sasori's hand tightened on his waist and was now helping him ride harder. But it was just so much extasy…

"Danna!"

The Deidara came, staining his shirt, but the immense pleasure and the sight of the blonde coming made his own orgasm even more enjoyable when he finally released.

Once the white faded, and his brain started to function, Sasori found his blonde on top of him, out of breath and face first in his own cum. "Come one Dei." He groaned as he pulled out of his young lover. Then pulling up the sculptors pants, and his own, he stripped of his shirt to wipe off the pearly liquid off of them. After that was done, he pulled Deidara close and tugged the blanket from the back of the couch over them. For a moment, they laid like that, content with life. But it seemed something was plaguing the younger's mind.

"A week form now, un… it'll be over, won't it?"

"Don't worry, Deidara…" the redhead said feeling his eyes starting to give out. "Everything will be over and done with soon."

"Un…" he mumbled.

That was what he was afraid of.


	34. It Begins

**DISCLAIMER: After these next few chapters, you're going to be wishing that I owned Naruto, bitches!**

**A/N: Haha, guess who's alive? Rapture my ass XP But… Hell. Yes! THESE are my chapters baby. THESE are one of the strongest chapters I will ever write. There are only a few others that will make me proud to say I had fun writing and got a desired result. Like when Dei was being tortured and when they blew up Itazura's house. Yeah, those made me feel proud. But these are it guys. It's the most badass thing I may ever write (these next few) so you better enjoy it. **

**From the crazed woman herself and her lovely BETA**-

**Teiden and SS97~**

DAY 77 – SATURDAY – 10:25 P.M.

The sun had faded away, leaving dimly lit sky scrapers and dark streets. On the roof the Intercity Communication's building, sat a group of nineteen killers around a crate. Each honing their own unique skills, their leader stood looking out to the city in thought.

"Sasori no Danna." Deidara called him.

The puppeteer turned to face the blonde, his upper right chest cavity open and visible thanks to his unbuttoned shirt. From the small open compartment, glowed small, random dots that every now and then blinked and cast shadows onto the faces of his companions that were waiting for him patiently to confirm their signal to start their impossible job. Less than thirty people going up against an army of gangs that were armed to the teeth. But this was why Akasuna Sasori had to pull out his ace, so they wouldn't be slaughtered like pigs and wrung of their own blood. Though, there was a negative to this final card, and it was he was fully exposed in a physical sense. It had been years ago, before he became an official mercenary even, that he found himself in a situation that required a mass attack such as this. But not on this scale where there was more than eight hundred killers in a city that was more then eleven thousand kilometers in size, making his task almost impossible. So…

He would just have to trust his craftsmanship.

"Danna? How much longer, hn?" Deidara shifted, his body being weighed down by two pouches filled with clay on his hips and two more slung over his shoulders. These gave him a stronger appearance then his thin frame; that usually seemed fragile. But now you could see how threatening the younger's body really was. Thanks to the figure gripping shirt, the lean muscle in the tan arms stood out, while the cut line leading down his calves tightened as he moved.

"I assume the signal will go off soon enough… do you all have your plates?" Sasori cast his brown eyes onto the small group. They all nodded as they checked their pockets for the small chips that where no bigger than dimes.

"But why do we need them, Sasori?" Ritsu asked as the rest of the Utauloids shied away.

"You will see. But it would be fatal for you to lose them, so that is your warning."

The small group nodded again, each of their thoughts spinning to the point of light nausea. But Deidara did not feel sick in the least. He was excited. Because tonight, it was all going to end. The blonde didn't know how exactly, but either luck would favor him, with the white haired fuck and his stepmother and all her drones six feet under. Or everything would turn to madness, creating his own death he had planned so long ago it seemed. But, if things followed through perfectly, he thought, just maybe, he could stay with his Danna…

It wasn't like he doubted Sasori loved him, but he did doubt the redhead's occupation allowed him to have a dead weight distraction… Because that was what he was, wasn't he?

A distraction?

"Brat," the elder beckoned him with his name and a stare.

Deidara obliged and walked over the redhead, a hand almost instantly going to his neck with fingers running through his hair. He shivered, the other man's gentle nature making him even more cautious of his heart.

"Ready?" Sasori whispered close to his ear.

He wanted to stay silent, but even his zoned out stare and blank mind couldn't stop his mouth from working. "What if I can't kill her…?"

"I doubt you'll become empathetic, Deidara."

"No…" his eyes narrowed toward the violet horizon. "I mean, what if something goes wrong, hn? What if she's still alive after this…?"

"She won't, I promise. You'll be able to kill her after some of the lunacy has calmed down, and their numbers have dwindled."

"No, what if I _can't_. What if I'm dead before that, hn? Or one of her guards is hiding and-" a tug came to his hair, and his expression became hard having realized what he said. "I'm not going to kill myself… Danna, un."

"You're not going to die either."

10:30 P.M.

Itachi finished his perimeter preparations, and returned to Kisame, who had been waiting patiently for his return.

"Everything is in place," he reported.

The shark man grinned. "Let's get goin' then."

The two men started their slow climb to City Hall, their steady movement creating soft pats on the stone steps. They were phase two of a plan that was already put in play a week ago, and now it was time to show the brilliance of true killers and their procedure.

Kisame tried the doors to the building, finding them stubborn in his attempts to open them.

"They locked all public and private buildings when they evacuated the city." Itachi informed the elder.

"Oh?"

Out of the corner of his eyes, Itachi caught a lagged movement of the larger man, and jumped out of the way just in time as Kisame smashed the two doors with an immense instrument that he had been carrying on his back.

Kisame grinned, showing his serrated teeth. "They're open now."

The raven shifted his eyes forward again, and continued on into the building along side the mercenary. City Hall looked like any other official office house on the inside; open with multiple doors leading this way and that. But they had no interest in these. The thing they were after, was information.

"That should be the mayor's office." Itachi stated as he observed another door on his right.

"Then lets not waste time and see if they're locked."

Kisame drew back his wrapped weapon and destroyed the doors, displaying both the large man's strength and the power of the instrument he wielded.

They entered the room and found what they had been looking for. A computer.

"Take a load off, Itachi. Samehada will take care of this."

The younger raised an eyebrow, but did not question the experienced man. So, he took a seat in the giant leather chair and watched other man work.

Kisame turned Samehada down so it was facing the ground. He then flipped the unnoticeable pommel at the very tip of the grip, and pulled out a series of cords. He approached the computer, and scoffed at it's blank monitor. Plugging the cords in by memory into the mechanism, he noticed Itachi was watching him closely. Observing each action he took, and the approach to it, he found himself grinning. It was obvious the raven constantly sought knowledge, despite his already vast intelligence. But what Kisame was interested in, was the tactics he used to obtain what he wanted.

The screen flashed blue, and then turned back to black as zeros and ones reeled up in neon green.

"One of Samehada's capabilities is to steal all the information from a database, and then store it for whatever use." His lips rose, the tips of his teeth glistening with moon's leaking light from the back windows. "Samehada then crashes the entire system it leeched from in under ten seconds. Leaving absolutely nothing left."

"Hn… So you're a hacker."

"Not at all," he snickered. "Human hackers have their limits. But I created a device that is meant to destroy technology all together. After all, the only thing that can out due a machine, is a machine."

Itachi remained silent. He was pondering what the other had said, and if it was true. Could only a machine win over a machine? It was true humans were limited creatures, but to say they couldn't out wit something they created… It seemed a little far fetched, but accurate at the same time.

"Done." His eyes turned back to Kisame who was enrapt in the computer screen. After six seconds, the monitor went blank, and the faint hum died away. The elder man removed the cords as they whipped back to Samehada. "Kakuzu should have an easy enough time getting into the bank's database now." He swung his tool of chaos into it's hilt along his back, and felt rather pleased with his quick work. "Let's go Itachi, we still gotta get cross town to the power plant."

The raven rose and exited the room and into the long hall, waiting for his signal.

Kisame frowned at the silence. "I'm pretty sure Sasori wants this place gone, ya know."

Itachi nodded, and raised his left hand. The moon light from skylight above showed a small line that wrapped around his index finger. He gave a simple, fast little tug, and the roar of obliteration blared in their ears. The back of the city hall building exploded and quickly caught fire, surrounding them in flames. The two men moved on with their job now complete, and walked out of the building as the flames engulfed the structure.

"I don't even want to know how you pulled that off, Itachi," Kisame laughed as he looked back at the blazing licks. "But hell ain't that impressive."

"You're lucky I didn't accidentally set off the bombs when I had to jump away from Samehada. Had I done that, all would have been lost."

Kisame rolled his eyes at the younger as they walked down the barren road, as the final explosion erupted behind them in a pallid of red.

10:32 P.M.

Itazura paced, anxious. This was her night, after all, and she wanted to be over just as soon as it began.

"Would you stop moving about, Miss Unicorn?" Uragirimono said from the ground. He had been watching the stars, and hearing that annoying woman's heels clack against the ruff. They were on top of the city's National Conference building. It was the highest structure in town, and they could see everything down below. Which was exactly what they wanted.

"Unicorn…? Whatever, I don't care for your games anymore."

"Oh, you should care about this one," he smiled, and blew the leaf he brought with him up with his breath.

Itazura ignored him, and continued to look over the edge down at her domain. "…Are you sure they're out there?"

"Oh, they're out there alright. I imagine they're moving right about now. Getting into position and all that."

"But there is no way we can lose, right?" Itazura bit her lip, ready for all of this to be over. "And you told them not to hurt Dei-D-Dei?"

"Hardly, not even Sasori can fend off eight hundred Neanderthals, even with his scrap of a team."

"Deidara." She furrowed her brows. "What about Deidara?"

"Rest assured, my dear Miss Unicorn, I told them to bring any young redheads and blondes to us."

"Redheads…?" Itazura turned around and watched the man by her feet. He did not return her stare, but she spoke none the less. "What exactly do you want with Sasori any way? He's the infamous Red Scorpion, who works for the notorious mercenary group, Akatsuki. It's not like you can imprison him that easily."

Uragirimono's smile grew to his ears, showing his teeth that were whiter than his hair. "When did I ever say I wanted to keep him?"

"Why else would you track him down?"

"Hmph, silly little Miss Unicorn, I do not want to keep Sasori locked away, I want to take everything he loves away from him in order, so he only loves me. First, his 'art', or whatever he calls his pathetic dolls. Then his freedom. If he's locked away, there is nothing for him to get attached to, is there? After that, comes Deidara… Now don't give me that look I _know_ you're giving me. I don't need to kill the boy, just take him away, but I wish I could spend some more personal time with him… He does have quite a high tolerance of pain you know. Either that, or he's just stubborn like the dickens!" he gave a little titter, and returned to his leaf, which he admired so. "Then comes the final thing he loves, his eternity."

"Eternity?"

"That's his greatest love. The idea of eternity. He wants to live forever, my Sasori. He believes that lasting forever makes him beautiful; perfect even. But I'm going to take away his forever, so there is only me."

"…You're going to kill him…" Itazura concluded.

"In a way," he turned his leaf about. "But there will only be me."

"…He'll be dead already if you do it in that order."

"Hm?" The white haired man looked up at the woman, feeling thrown off.

"You take away Deidara, and he'll already be dead."

"What are you saying now you infernal woman?"

"You want him to be clinging to what remains, yes?" Itazura looked at him from the corner of her eye, glowering. "If you take away Dei-D-Dei, he'll give up his eternity right on the spot as soon as he knows he can not get him back."

"And what makes you say that?" He pinched his leaf.

"Love does that," she said curtly. "Love is the reason Bambi is now on our side. Love is the reason the Kyoko are fighting with Sasori. Love is the reason Miku went searching for Luka. Love is the reason Meme betrayed you for Cherry. And love will be the reason Sasori will be dead before you steal his forever…"

Uragirimono clicked his teeth together. He stared at his leaf as he took in her words, contemplating them. After a minute or so though, he tore the green life to pieces, and let it be whipped away by the wind.

Even if things didn't go according to plan, he had a back up if worst came to worst. And he would use it, no matter what the situation.

10:46 P.M. 

"That's it, they've had had enough damn time! I'm going in!" Hidan took his iron pick and broke the glass doors of the main city bank.

Kakuzu rolled his eyes, but seeing how no alarm went off, he figure Kisame and Itachi had done their job right. The two men entered the bank and found the managers office with ease off to their right. They strode in over to the desk, and Hidan took a panatela from a box and put it between his teeth. He grinned and tossed the bitter cigar around in his mouth, loving the feel of being a 'boss'.

"Hey, Kuzu! Check me out!"

The stitch man ignored him and went to the computer. He boot up the system and switched to the security platform. This was the main bank in the city, and it held all of the functions and controls to the alarm systems. So without the need of hacking thanks to Kisame, he entered the settings portion of the files, and found the alarm trigger system. There were over thirty banks in the city that were equipped with special deafening sirens that were specialized in rendering anyone in a certain distance immobile. These alarms were loud, and if all thirty banks had the sirens set off at the same time, the noise would be heard clearly within the city limits."Hidan, put your earplugs in."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" the Jashinist said pushing the wax like material in his ear. "Oh, gotta a lighter?"

Kakuzu clicked the mouse, and sirens across the city shrieked with life. With the ear plugs in, it only sounded like a faint whine. But anyone directly inside the building would most likely feel the urge to faint.

Kakuzu clicked out of the screens and turned off the computer. He had been watching Hidan with his peripheral vision, and guessed the other man was looking for some matches to light the glorified cigarette. This made him frown. Nicotine was disgusting and smelled of rotting wood and burning carbon. So he grabbed Hidan and started dragging him away from the desk. The other man jerked and complained, but he couldn't hear him any way since he had his earplugs in before hand. Thus, the reason it was easy to ignore the other. But now Hidan was struggling, and that was just aggravating.

So the silver haired man was grabbed by his collar and thrown on the larger man's shoulder like a rag doll. Hidan didn't appreciate this though, but no matter how hard he yelled, the earplugs blocked him. So he did the only he could think of.

He bit the shell of the elder man's ear.

They were well out of the building now, and on their way down the street. So when Kakuzu looked at him, his cheeks tinted.

The green eyes stared at him for a while, until the large man mumbled something.

"Cute ass bastard…"

"Huh?" Of course Hidan couldn't hear him.

He still had his own earplugs in.

10:53 P.M.

Sasori heard the sirens, and watched as everyone stood. This was their signal.

"We'll be going then," Kaito said with firm features.

They all were feeling the energy of the night by now. It was a pulsing, cold electricity that wasn't going to let up until the sun showed it's face. And that was still hours away.

The Kyoko moved to the ladder, as did the attendants. Leaving only Deidara and the Utauloids shifting for a minute more.

"Well…" Teto kneeled down on the ground next to Ritsu. "It's as good of a time as any to take your medicine."

Ritsu gulped as his hair fell over his face, and his fists tightened in his lap. He hated his medicine. It was a terrible thing, but he needed it. Or else he'd just have more nightmares of all the blood, and all the death…

He nodded, and took the vile offered to him by Teto. The violet liquid sloshed back and more, and looked to be sludge. But he had to take this… He popped the cork and took it like a shot, but it was so thick, he inevitably choked on it. Roku pat his back and helped him stand, his vision already starting to cloud.

"We'll be going then, Sasori-san." Teto and Roku led Ritsu away, Ted and Rook trailing behind them.

Leaving only Deidara.

"You know your area of the city?" Sasori asked him.

He nodded. "Memorized, un."

"Good… Deidara," the blonde looked at him. "You will be fine. The first explosion you see will set you off, and I'll be there with you."

"…" Deidara studied him for a minute, but then did something unexpected. On the edge of the building, he hooked his leg around the elder's waist, and swung his body around the ledge to wrap around Sasori. With his legs locked around the redhead's waist, his arms clasped together behind their neck. "Aww," he said as the other's arms started to support him despite the added weight of his clay. "So Danna can be a sentimental bastard sometimes, hn? That's new."

"Hmph," Sasori started supporting him with only one arm, and moved his free hand to grope the blonde's ass, making Deidara gain an aroused look. "Get going brat, you're wasting time, and the the longer you stall, the harder it will be."

"Sure, un," he pecked their lips together. "You shouldn't worry so much, Danna," the blonde said in a better mood. "I've been trained by more than a dozen killers, un. This should be easy."

"Don't get cocky. Just win."

His eyes lowered a little more, the other's strange care making his lips twitch up.

"Hai, Sasori no Danna."

With that, the redhead let his hold drop and he ran. Deidara glided across the close nit building tops, not even needing to jump that far. He understood this night was important, because it was possible he could die… But, if he was going to meet Hell's gates…

He was going to do it with style.

11:01 P.M.

Sasori watched the blonde leave, glad that he had everyone pitch in on his skills. It helped put his mind at ease.

His cell phone started to buzz in his pocket. He took it out and flipped it open to see the one thing that was currently plaguing his mind.

His phone read 'Client'.

"Shit…" he pressed the button that changed his voice, and finally answered. "Yes?"

"I'm seeing movement. What's going on?" The strange voice questioned.

"You're in the city?"

"I had heard that there was going to a royale. So I decided to get my own seat."

"I see…"

"I want her dead, tonight. I'd prefer it to by my own hands, but that be to messy. If I spot her, I'll inform you. If she is not dead by this night though, I'll report you. Understood?"

"Hn. It should be easy enough to locate her. I'll then wait for my perfect shot."

"Good. Be weary though. That woman has as many enemies as she has friends. So do not fail… Fair well."

"…"

He snapped his phone shut, and listened to the shrieking sirens. The pressures of the night were starting to clamp around him, but he kept his composer none the less. He could say things had been worse before, but he'd been only lying to himself. There were multiply possibilities that he could loose his allies and fellow mercenaries along with some of his most precious art. But if there was one thing he was most concerned about losing…

"You better kill Itazura fast, Deidara."

11:02 P.M.

"Oh? What's with all these questions, Itachi? Don't tell me you're curious all of the sudden."

The raven said nothing as they walked through the open air power plant.

"Alright then…" the blue man grinned. "The organization we work for is called the Akatsuki, as you probably already know. There is so far four of us. Me, Kakuzu, Sasori, and our boss man. Then our boss man, Pein, as we call him, has a spy that supposedly follows us on major jobs like this."

"Hn."

"We don't know who he is either. But ya can bet that's he'll be around for tonight. 'Specially since we're all in one city."

"…"

They entered the generator room. Now all they had to do was find the sinew.

"Me and Kakuzu aren't really workin' right now if ya couldn't tell. I was just bored and decided to tag along with Sasori, since I was wonderin' why he was getting paid so much. Ya know? I got Kakuzu to come along by telling him there was a lot of people with a bounty on their heads in this city. And he's made some cool cash, but nothing close to what 'Sori is gonna get after he finishes off his objective. That'll be some cold hard cash man, he'll be set for life."

"So all of you joined for the money." Itachi concluded.

Kisame held his stomach as he laughed fully, the main generator in sight.

"Kakuzu probably did. But I joined for a couple of reasons. My appearance often throws people off. So it was hard to get a job for a while. But I had the skills for this type of work, and I always get jobs that suit me. So that's why I joined. But we were all hired for our specialties, I'll have you know."

"Specialties?" the younger asked while looked at the large machine that was pumping out energy to the city.

"'Course," Kisame said while he un-sheathed Samehada. "I get jobs that involve getting information most of the time, but also for knocking out major cities for raid." The sharp toothed man undid the coverings on his weapon to show vicious, rigid metal that had layers upon layers of sharpened sheets going to the tip of the nose. One of Samehada's other tricks was it stole energy. Slam it into the right place and it would suck away all the power in any machine, just like a leech.

The main generator caused quite a din, but that wasn't going to last long. The city was only as good as this machine, and the certain mechanism before them was about to fall from grace.

"Kakuzu is more of our negotiator. He handles all our deals and payments."

"And Sasori?" Itachi inquired as he stepped back from the other man, who was about to swing.

"Oh? You haven't figured it out? Sasori's specialty is…" Kisame swung his monumental instrument into the generator, creating harsh blue sparks to fly. "Mass annihilation."

The city hummed for a final second before every remaining light flickered away.

The battle was to begin.

11:05 P.M.

Sasori observed every flickering life disappear from the city, leaving no power left except his own. His inner chest cavity suddenly glowed brightly as the little dots awakened and bleeped all around. His fingers twitched, screens behind his eyelids blinked alive; lives long forgotten began to rise. Over the urban terrain that was the city, crates of all sizes opened, with zombies of wood rising. From behind him, the box that everyone had been sitting around, shifted, and one of his greatest master pieces was awakened once again. Across the gray scale, over three hundred puppets rose, ready to fight under their master and creator's command.

A war had begun.


	35. Setting the Stage

**DISCLAIMER: Man exams suck... Stupid German… XP **

**A/N: *Laughs evilly* God this is fun! All of this action and. . . . Other stuff I'm not going to mention cause you guys haven't read it yet, makes me vent my crazy and I feel so awesome (-Little Voice in Head-:*cough* TWISTED *cough*). W****hatever. And sorry I'm slow. Stuff and life suck. Plus I'm now a Beta and have already started working with three different people. (Though I'm surprised I got any requests at all…) They're all really awesome people though!**

**But…, tell me everyone… WHO DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO LIVE? ...****Wow… that sounded threatening… *shrugs* probably because it is. xD**

**KikaitoSong: http:/www . youtube . com/watch?v=p3YN369ftcU&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL**

**Oh! A girl I beta for made a picture, and said it reminded her of this fic! Here it is: www . deviantart . com/#/d3kh0y1 (but seriously. . . this pic of Sori is hot!)**

**Teiden~ (but seriously… I'm really having too much fun with this.)**

**Beta-reader:**

**-Nic (She originally put her signature at the end, but shes to awesome for that X])**

DAY 77 – SATURDAY – 11:08 P.M.

Never had the city sky been so clear to see the stars like this. They limned the black swallow of space like ruby embers did coals.

Chaos was beginning to emerge from the sewers of rotting human remnants. Guns could be heard as they stressed their burning gunfire; the sparks from swords and knives clashing would flare often, and even the chanting of a faint song could be heard in this rhythmic night of bloodshed.

Sasori stood, his chest wide open with the tiny lights blinking rapidly. The contact like screens over his eyes flashed images that only someone of his intelligence could capture in the flash of a millisecond. He was seeing out of six hundred eyes, moving with twelve hundred limbs, and using thousands of weapons all at once. He did not have direct control over his art unless he chose to, but that's why he had given the others the chips. His puppets were programmed to kill anything in sight, and the job of the small, dime sized device was to repel the sensors in the puppets.

But currently, the redhead was focusing on a few certain marionettes that were of great importance…

11:09 P.M.

Nigaito stared out the window in Kaito's room. His little apple like head turned in his folded arms as he watched out into the night; listening to the Symphony of Murder, as he called it. He didn't know much about fighting really, the others never let him learn how to use his voice for such reasons. But he did know a beautifully composed piece when he heard; and this was, by all means, a work of genius for the dead.

The gunshots were the cadence of it all, and once the bigger tools of powder came into play, such as magnums, they turned into the base of a solid rhythm. The swords though, had a very shrill harmony, which caught one's attention even over the massive stage that was the city. But they were heard, clearly to the point of chills. Then there was the accompaniment, which gave this macabre tune a dreadful feel. The rattling of chains. The barking of rabid hounds. The shattering of glass. The dreadful and precise sound of the Kyoko's mumbled songs… It all mashed together like a chorus of blood, making even the hardest souls want to flee. But the true melody of this mess; was something that resonated through stone and body alike. This was the screams of dying. They carried like tears rolling down the cheek of a sleeping child. From their origin; they were full and fat with sorrow, but as they moved over the stone- just as the single drop of salt water rolled down the skin of a grieving child, they withered until they dropped off as an echo, to lastly make an impact on the ear's drum.

These cries and moans were of true agony, Nigaito could tell. Every being haunting the streets was a killer, and there was no mercy being shown. Nigaito knew this, and yet he wanted to be out there alongside his brothers, and family. He wanted to protect them. But he was no good. He'd only get in the way of Taito-onii and the others.

"Sasori-san?" He turned around to look at the jittering puppet that had tattered shreds for clothing. The dull yellow eyes started shaking like die that had just been rolled from a wishing hand. They found their place and stared directly at the light green haired boy, and Nigaito smiled with a blush. He liked having the man around to protect them, and he couldn't help but feel safe, even when his presence wasn't physical.

"Is everyone okay?"

The wooden draw dropped, and the voice of the puppeteer responded through the artificial vocal chords. "Everyone is fine, Nigaito. Why don't you go downstairs and play with Tomo for the time being."

"But…," the small boy brought his excessively long sleeves up to cover the lower half of his face."I want to wait… for Taito-onii… and the others."

"Time will only go slower if you wait up here. Go down stairs, and Nana Ha or Gem make you a hot drink, and play with Tomo. The both of you could use the company anyway."

"What do you mean?"

The puppet cricked and moved its glassy stare so it was penetrating his own. Nigaito backed up against the window sill because of this. He knew very well the redhead could see him, and he really didn't want to be scolded…

But the wooden man looked away after sometime, and lowered its' self into a fetal position to rest.

"You're not the only one that can lose someone, Nigaito."

11:10 P.M.

"Hah!"

Blood arced in the air like a rainbow.

"Cheh… Son of a bitch!"

Guns fired like a soul screamed.

"Sigh… Sorry fellow."

And a banker, a stay at home husband, and a little punk teenager were doing some serious ass kicking.

"Nigai! Do you always have to do aerial attacks?" Kuiro complained as he placed his back against a brick wall, not even blinking as he threw yet another throwing knife down the alley to pierce a man in the eye.

"It's annoying as hell…" Clouw spoke as he shot three men down a line with his favorite Ruger LRC revolver. He admired it because of its light weight and spin barrel design, but he also didn't rule out its style of course.

"Shut up! This is the most fun I've had in two years!" Nigai yelled from atop a one story building. "Oh! Here comes another one!" The dark haired girl backed up, and drew her Wakizashi from its sheath, and listened.

She listened like a dog, and then took off in a sprint. She jumped off the building, and moved her body through the air as if everything was done slowly, when she really did the gestures in milliseconds. She bent her knees, moved her body forward just the littlest bit to where her back was slightly arced, tipped her toes forward, and moved her Wakizashi so it was ready to impale.

The balls of her feet landed on the incoming man's shoulder perfectly, and the momentum of her fall made her purposely loose arms move down at a higher velocity, skewering the man from the top of his skull, down into his throat and along his spinal cord. The body shook from her impact, and started to topple over, but her sword slid out as if the tissue was butter. She jumped with a midair tuck and started to slash as the man and woman flanking behind, what was once a man, tried to retreat. They ended up skidding and falling to their behinds. Meaning Nigai sliced their heads off before they could even look at her. The blood gushed from their open necks, staining her face and her teeth, for she ginned at the familiar spasm of killing.

"Nigai!" Her shoulder and trimmed hair were being pulled tightly. She could feel her assaulter's nails piercing her skin, and their knuckles knocking against her skull. She was then thrown against a lowered escape latter, and a hand wrapped around her neck.

"_What do you think you're doing?_"

She flailed and kicked, but she was only wasting oxygen. Her head was banged against one of the metal steps, and her windpipe was being crushed. She couldn't move…

"Clouw!"

The pressure was released, and she fell to the ground, banging her head on the railing no less. She opened her eyes as she hacked out spit and tried to replace it with air. What the dark haired teen saw though was Kuiro restraining Clouw, who looked like an enraged killer who didn't get to watch his prey squirm.

"Let go… Kuiro…"

"You can't kill Nigai, Koi. She's our friend."

"Yeah, Clouw," the teen grinned up. "I'm your _friend_."

"I don't care…," the banker hissed. "We're here to reduce their numbers, as in rip of their wings. Not slaughter them like cattle."

"Clouw…," Kuiro let go of the other man's arms and simply held his hand. "Let's go look somewhere else…" The plain man tugged at the banker's arm, and the latter gave.

"Fine."

The two men started to walk away from the grimacing teen. But they weren't quite far enough for Nigai to not hear their voices.

"When this is over, I'm call the asylum. She's going back in a straight jacket if it's the last thing I do."

Her eyelids lifted quicker then lightning burned earth. Her arms wrapped around her body, and she already could feel the still air. She could see the white. Nothing but the endless white… But mostly, she could sense the restrain in her arms. And no matter how hard she tugged, and twisted and turned her body, she couldn't be free. Suddenly, Nigai found her breath moving as if her lungs had been frozen; as if there was only carbon to inhale.

"…N-n… No…"

She stood, but she was not there.

"No… Not again…"

Nigai moved like the corpses on the ground, cold and stiff, towards her Wakizashi across the ally.

"No…" her pale hand grasped it as if she was a ghost; a transparent soul…

She laughed; cold, and bitter- insanely. "I'll kill you all… I won't go back, no. I'll just kill… so there is no one to take me… away…"

11:12 P.M.

Ted watched the dress wearing boy ahead of him. Ritsu had just woken up, and his eyes were now obviously clouded. He never liked Ritsu when he took his medicine, no one usually did, but it was better for everyone, including the small boy. Ritsu was a considered a VIPPERloid in all his rights, meaning he had one of the more devolved voices just like everyone else in the small group of five. But the young cross dresser had a problem.

Ritsu was made to take medicine because the Kyoko master had found a terrible thing…

Flashback - The Master's 'Studio'

"He's been unconsciously traumatized."

"What?" A male redhead with a twisted ponytail gapped as he looked through a one way window, his stare fixed on the small boy unconscious in the other room.

"Ted, you must listen to me."

The redhead put a hand against the glass, as his head inclined.

"Yes… Master, continue."

"Right," the man given the title 'Kyoko Master' leaned back in his chair and flipped through a few papers on his clip board. "Ritsu… when I first examined him, he was perfectly fine. His reaction to every test I gave him was normal. And his IQ was rather high for his age, so I assumed if anything was wrong; he would either notice, and come back to me for further examination, or he would be able to figure out his own problems."

"But…" the redhead intervened."He's been having so many nightmares… And he almost killed Teto… He just _snapped_."

"Yes, that brings me to the problem. It seems he has unconsciously devolved a phobia to violence. And since only his subconscious has this fear, he only realizes it's existence through his dreams… You say this all started after his first job?"

"Yes, he started having trouble sleeping."

"Well that explains it then. You may leave now."

The redhead frowned. "Are you saying you can't do anything, _Master_?"

The elder man didn't look up from his papers. "I assume this occurred during the incident. And after two years, I doubt anything I do will affect him."

"So he is just supposed to sit around and not do any jobs? He's a VIPPERloid!"

The man sighed, and stared at the boy in the other room through the glass. "The best I could do is making him forget."

"Forget?"

"When he goes out on a job, before things get to serious, he could take a medicine that will erase his memories from the past twenty-four hours after he falls asleep. I can't guarantee his nightmares will disappear, but if he can't remember anything, then his chances of going out of control will lessen."

"I see… Master, why are you only telling me these things?" The redheaded boy watched the older man out of the corner of his eye, and became very weary of his stern expression.

"Because, Ted, you are the eldest in that lot; and even though you don't have the best voice, or temper, I believe you are the most responsible. And if I were to pick anyone to prove themselves a leader, I would choose you, or Ritsu."

"But since Ritsu is unconscious…" the redhead started to link the ideas.

"You are the person I'm letting this decision rest on… Know he may not be the same person he usually is with the medicine, and his body may not take to it straight away. But this is your choice, Ted."

"…Give him the medicine."

"You're not going to think about it?"

"Master… I think…" the redheaded man tried to find his words, as his glasses started to slip off his nose. "Ritsu may be a little tough on the outside, but he likes to look after others. And I don't think he would forgive himself if he ever hurt anyone close to him… Go ahead and give him the medicine."

"Alright, as you wish…"

End Flashback. 

"Get in the formation, there's a lot of them up ahead," Ritsu commanded. "We're doing Imitation Black. I want no mistakes, and I want all of them killed."

Ted crossed his arms. "If we do that, there's a good chance we'll destroy Sasori-sans puppets too."

The small redhead looked half way over his shoulder, and gave the other man a look that could maim the wildest beast, and bend a cave's darkness. "If Sasori is _the_ Red Scorpion as he claims to be, losing a few toys won't be a problem, will it? Now, get in the formation."

Despite the order, Ted didn't have to move. Ritsu was already ahead and in the center of the street, and since the formation was the shape of a V, Teto just took her place in front of him; with Roku and Rook copying them accordingly on the shadowing side.

"Ted," the small redhead turned back ahead. "Get their attention. Killing a man from behind is unsportsmen like."

The redhead grabbed his Automatic that had been strapped to his back, and gritted his teeth. This was going to be a long night…

11:13 P.M.

Shin sat on top of building, enjoying his view of the chaos.

"Well, well, Sasori-san. You never cease to put on a show."

The Asian man watched the army of puppets clash swords hidden within their limbs; shoot massive amounts of bullets in their notches, and tear heads off with only their wooden fingers. It was a massacre on both sides truthfully, though he wouldn't say it was equal. For he did see a firework of splinters on occasion, or an implosion of fire on moving wood. But so far, from his observations, the puppets were winning. That would make sense though, wouldn't it? Eight-hundred Neanderthals with no specific leadership fighting against three-hundred wooden robots, with a genius behind them at that. The odds were currently with the latter. And on top of of it all, there were also trained killers alongside the puppeteer.

But once the idiots dwindled and the real fighters stood strong, things would get interesting.

Shin pulled out his phone from a hidden pocket in his kimono, and speed dialed one.

The receiver picked up quickly. "Hello?" a woman answered.

"Angel-tan!" he called.

"Would you stop calling me that?"

"But Angel-tan," he gave a little whine. "You're going to be our Savior in this Hell."

"Yeah-yeah-yeah… We have work to do you know."

"That reminds me," he grinned, knowing the woman on the other end could sense it with his change in voice. "Have you found his place?"

"Yeah…" she mumbled. "But he's not here."

"Of course he's not Angel-tan, silly girl!"

The woman growled. "You fucking… urg!"

Shin giggled at her restrained noises. He could understand her frustration though; most people would feel a lot of pressure in her current situation and health. "He'll be there soon enough. You must wait though, for the gears to shift."

"Would you stop talking in metaphors? It's annoying as hell."

"Would you prefer I talk in similes?"

"Dude… you suck"

"I swallow lollipops too."

He could imagine the woman's eyebrow twitching. "…What have you been smoking?"

"Oh, a little opium, hemp, some-"

"Shut up. Just shut up… I'm hanging up; I have a job to do."

His grin darkened, as another series of screams rattled off in the night. "Make sure you do it well."

11:15 P.M.

"Danna…?" Deidara blinked, finally on top of the needed building. "No way, un! This is you? That's so sweet, un!" he tapped the puppets metallic eyes with a grin, but the wooden arm lashed up to grab his wrist.

"Yes, it is," the puppet growled with Sasori's voice. "So would you please stop touching my eye?"

"Sorry, but you're going to help me, un?"

"The puppet is going to," he answered. "But just incase someone decides to intrude…" the puppet gestured across the roof, where two figures rose with jerky movements.

"Are those…?" Deidara moved to get a closer look. "The chain twins we fought back at the warehouse, un? You turned them into puppets?" The blonde watched the duo of wooden existence unhook their arms to show chains drop out of their beings like organs. Deidara whistled at the sight and inspected them further.

They looked exactly the same as the day they fought them.

"I don't think I want to know, un… But when did you make them, hn?"

"While you were training with everyone else, I used my tools to make them easily enough. They are far from perfect, but they're good enough to kill anyone that gets near you while you set up," the puppet answered.

"Un, just what I need," the blonde nodded and stuck his hands in his pouches to start molding the clay.

"How long will you be?"

"Hn~?" Deidara felt a rather devilish nature rise about him. "I can't rush perfection, now can I Danna, un? You need to be patient. Besides I've got a good hour before things start getting real good, un."

The puppet didn't reply, but Deidara knew the redhead was anxious. Though, he really didn't need to be. After all, his part in making the cake was putting a roman candle on top.

11:30 P.M.

Kikaito was getting bored. Half an hour hadn't even passed, and all he had done was throw a knife occasionally at some unsuspecting idiot that was trying to sneak up on him. He didn't mind, he was actually kind of regretting going by himself though. They decided Gumi could go with Rin and Len since they wanted to do Paradise of Light and Shadow, but that left him with no one to travel along the city with. Kaito went with Gakupo, and Akaito went with Taito, since they were good with in-sync combo strikes. But he was worried nonetheless. Akaito had a bad temper, and Taito in his normal state had no chance of calming his brother down.

"Look, there's one!"

Kikaito looked behind his shoulder, and saw there was a group of around twenty thugs all cocking their guns.

"That won't do…" he mumbled, as his lips twitched up. "Let's move on, move on," he raised his voice so only they could hear, but this time, it was different. "Only the two of us, move on." The men stopped as they became stricken with fear as to who they just found, and Kikaito could already hear the music in his head.

"The duo kept moving on,

on their journey.

Does a love-confession represent eternity?"

The men started to form two single file lines against their twitching limb's will. So he started to stroll ahead, as they all followed behind in uniform.

"We exchanged sweet words,

we built a sand castle on the crematorium.

In a rusted night,

fell asleep under the noisy starry night.

While we welcome a sloppy spring,

I discovered.

This happiness will not last,

happiness lives in the moment.

So let us turn this happiness,

Into a bouquet of flowers."

Kikaito laughed as he heard all of their marked time feet marching to the tempo of the song.

"After turning the happiness into a bouquet

we put it into the coffin so we don't lose it.

And let's hide it away,

so no one will take it away from us.

The funeral concession that seems to be endless,

but it finally stopped somewhere.

We bid farewell with deceiving tears,

lets burn it all together with our hands."

He turned around to face his 'men', and the gleam in his eye became excited, for all he saw was the expression of a soldier. What he liked about this song was it was merely about controlling people by their whims and emotions. But when used to fight, it could control anyone to the singer's liking. And after this thought, he moved in-between the two lines, and pulled out his pocket knife.

"The stable loyalty,

The feeling that this is held at the chest.

Was it the body temperature?

Overlapping the heart?"

He slit one of the men's throats, and as his pipes gushed with red fountains of life, the rest of the men kept marching to his tune.

"What comes out of it,

is a momentous life.

We regret when things are not the same as our ideal.

If it becomes old,

just throw it away like a toy.

If I played until it's dirty,

then just go and get a new one.

How long is this endless repetition going to be?

If things should have its limitations,

then let's end it now."

He started to slice open every clear vessel of blood he could see with each line of song; dying the ground with death.

"Knowing these are a waste of time,

but people are still chasing after it.

Using the flirty language,

uttering the key lines softly.

Knowing myself was caught in this pain

but still desiring it.

There is a small wound on the head,

let's make it a big wound,

I will show you!

A lie is speaking from my mouth again,

but no one knows this is a lie.

The expected facial expression,

looks like a thing that is easily collapsed."

There were certainly less men now, just as there were more bodies limning the pavement, but they didn't notice his flickering wrist.

"Begging on the moving second hand of the clock,

wish that we could continue our journey.

The journey with only two of us,

here comes the third party again.

We have to repeat this again."

He continued to hum his song as he stood right in front of the last remaining man. He was a lanky fellow, about 5'6, meaning he wasn't particularly short or tall. The man was coming though from his song, and when his eyes really started seeing; he fell back to the ground to look at his, as of late, friends. His hands scrambled for his dropped gun, as he continued to take in the scene around him. Some of the bodies were still squirting bodily fluids and weekly moaning before they finally lost the light in their eyes for good.

"What's wrong?" Kikaito's baritone voice shook the man further. He didn't blame him though. You never excepted a blonde man of his height to have such a strong intonation anyway. "Do you need something?"

"B-bastard!" His fingers trembled as he finally grabbed his gun and pointed it at the blonde's head.

"Now what are you going to accomplish with that?" he asked and squatted down to be eye level with the man. "Are you going to _win? _Your friends are dead, as you can see. And even if you kill me, the chances of you meeting my friends are very likely. Meaning you'd be dead anyway."

"Wha-what?" The man quivered and scooted back, making the gravel crackle.

Kikaito stood and started to move steadily towards the man. "What would be your purpose for killing me? Revenge perhaps? You don't look like the type of man though that would be settled with just one death though. But I'm almost certain you wouldn't live long enough to live up to pleasurable blood thirst."

Actually, the man didn't look anything as such a character he was describing. He honestly looked like the type of human that would be a proper business man, and a good father that would come home to a loving wife. But humans are social creatures, and some people are just born in bad areas, so this man probably, he assumed, found the need to meet his low peers and eventually became one of them. It's a sad case when such a thing happens, but Kikaito found that if the said human couldn't rise out of birth stature, then there was no hope for them at all.

He hated using psychology like this though, because he always felt like an ass when tricked a simpleton's mind. Then again, this was easier and cleaner when it came to results, and the results never ceased to make him ponder the mind. Though it was rather easy to figure out how to get his desired outcome when it came to humans. All anyone needed to understand (indefinitely for that matter) was the idea of complex-uncommon-common sense. The notion would seem ridiculous to any who at first hears the term, but after an open mind breaks down the rather straight forward thought and applies it to everyday life examples, _it_ would becomes quite clear.

And that was why Kikaito didn't like using his wit against people, because he always had the upper hand.

"So what are you going to do?"

The man stopped trembling and his pupils grew to disks. He made the gun turn. He stuck it in his mouth and…

Bye-bye to once was.

Kikaito sighed. There was an itching feeling in the back of his mind that told him to find his brother, and as he looked around the corpses, he found that urge growing stronger. It wasn't that he didn't know Akaito couldn't take care of himself, but he just had the ultimate feeling that something bad was going to happen. He didn't like it when he had that sensation of dread, but it was there, and it felt like freezing spiders crawling up his back.

He had to find his brother.

11:35 P.M.

Gly sat and waited patiently as he watched a master at work. Akasuna Sasori was a skilled killer, and a professional one at that. He had heard rumors that The Red Scorpion didn't hesitate to kill anyone; children and women alike. And as he studied the redhead, he believed it to be true. He had decided to take a risky step, and started to approach the puppeteer, but the other showed no signs of sensing him. And as Gly stood right by the man, who was sitting relaxed on the edge of the building, he found himself in an almost humorous situation.

One little push, and he could send Akasuna Sasori to hell.

But it's never that easy, is it?

He observed the other man carefully, and saw his fingers moving diligently, like they were moving in a silky spider web. His chest was open, showing a fake body that had a compartment open with blinking lights, flickering with life. His eyes though, were the most astounding. With little distance separating the two men, he could see screens, faces, movements, data, death, literally passing over the redhead's orbs.

"So that's how you're managing all of this…" he mumbled. "It's because you're not completely human."

He spoke right next to the puppeteer, but he still showed no sign of acknowledging him. "Hmph…"

He stood up and looked at the crate that was in the middle of the roof. Gly knew he shouldn't go near it, and with that knowing, he carefully moved around to sit behind the exit, out of sight. It wasn't time for him to put himself into play, and he'd feel out of mind if he did anything to Sasori-san while he was incapable of protecting himself… Or, while he _seemed_ incapable…

He needn't worry though, his time would come, and so would Sasori-san's.

* * *

**IMPORTANT! I need to know if you guys will want a sequel to Suicide on the Line. It will be a little bit . . . of a. . . 'If you don't f*cking update I'm going to kill you' story, but that's why I put up a poll for all of you to VOTE. Please do. I already have a solid BETA that will be helping me. She's SweetScarlett97, and she's super ****psyched** **to see me do this project. But I want you're guy's opinion. VOTE and or at least review please! So far it's tied for me doing a squele or doing another idea I have, and I cant leave it at that. SO GO VOTE. **

**Thank you guys! Please VOTE on my profile! I want to know what all of you think!**

**BUT SERIOUSLY VOTE.**


	36. Time and It's Limits

**DISCLAIMER: Does Kishi use guns and shit? I think not.**

**A/N: Lovelies! You know how happy I am to see all of you, but right now, I'm smiling at the thought of torturing you all in the cruelest way ever imagined... That's right...**

**Cliffhangers.**

**But they'll all go away if you vote on my profile~ I can promise you that. All you have to do is click a button or two, and the more of you that do that, the kinder I'll be with less killings and cliffhangers! And I know how many of you are out there (or at least according to my alert and fav. list), so no skipping out! **

**-Voice in my Head-: Who do you think you are? No one listens to your crazy ass A/N's, so why do you even bother?**

**You're mean... And just because I don't always read A/N's, doesn't mean everyone else ignores them...**

**From a bullied writer-**

**Teiden~ **

**And a concerned beta-**

**-Nic**

11:54 P.M.

"Zetsu, I will want a full report of everything that goes on tonight."

"Yes… sir." a green haired man stared out from an empty, bleak apartment.

"I want you to observe all of them. There is no reason for all of my employees to be off in one area like this, and I want to know what's going on."

"…" Zetsu felt the building beneath him shake, making dust flitter to his head.

"And I want you to be looking for new talent."

"Talent, sir?"

"Yes… I've been thinking about expanding."

"Do you have any… specific names, sir?"

"I have a list."

Zetsu listened to his boss rattle off six different names, a brief personal history of each; and where they might be. He listened intently, memorizing the brief description of each individual, and even became aware of how interested his boss seemed in these people. In all honesty, he didn't like taking orders from this man. He much rather be yelled at by his master...

"Do you have all of that?"

"Yes, sir…"

"Good, now get to work. I'll see you in two days."

Zetsu closed his phone and sank down into a fetal position and continued to watch the fight right outside his door through the clouded and filthy window. Dust fell to his head from the crumbling building, and stale air wrapped around his naked chest. He wasn't going to move until his master called; his real boss. Zetsu was only loyal to the Akatsuki because of his master. The man had found him in the abandoned orphanage; took him in and treated him with kindness. And when he found out about his split personality, he showed him even more care… Zetsu would do anything for his master, and would never betray him

Just then, his phone started to buzz, and when he looked at the ID, Zetsu felt his mood rise.

"Master…" he answered, a smile lifting his cheeks.

"Zetsu, how have you been?" a deep voice replied.

"Fine, Pein has asked me to observe some people for recruiting."

"Recruiting? I don't remember him mentioning that. Who have you been asked to watch?"

He told him the names.

"Ah…" the man sounded pleased. "I must admit, Pein has a good eye. Have you been reporting to him about everything?"

"Yes."

"No wonder. No one has better eyes than you Zetsu; you should be proud," there was a low resonating sound, that was indeed his master's laugh. "Do as he says and watch them, the Akatsuki could use some new faces."

"Will you be coming to the city, master?"

"Yes… I believe I will."

11:55 P.M.

"Fuck this all to Jashin! This is the stupidest thing I've ever had to do! Who the hell even _dies_ this easy? A piss-ant chipmunk lives longer than these shits, and I sacrifice those on a daily basis; to the point where the little bastards can't even repopulate fast enough!"

"Hidan… be quiet." Kakuzu slammed someone's head down on the sidewalk so it would explode like a melon. He then threw another brief case of money against the others he had been collecting into the backseat of his car. He had so far raided five banks, and more were to come; so maybe it wasn't a total waste of his time to come to this hell of a city.

"And who the hell is going to make me?"

"Just get in the car."

"Aw- shut up you bastard," the Jashinist yelled as he slammed the car doors.

Kakuzu started up his sleek black jaguar and began to roll along the smooth road. Their windows were down, but they weren't really worried at being shot at. They had plenty of machine guns with them, and a couple grenades just in case some real fun came along. But so far nothing of interest had happened for the duo to use such instruments. This was unfortunate for the Jashinist who had been hoping for something to do that was worthwhile. He hadn't even found a proper fucker to sacrifice to his all mighty god! And of top of that, he was traveling around with the most heathenish bastard he had ever known. Believing lucre, of all things, was more important Jashin-sama! The idea was just absurd!

The car ride was silent so far, which Hidan hated. They were on the far side of town where only the poorer side of society lived. Kakuzu's plan was to raid the lower rated banks first and work his way up to the richer assholes on the up side of town. Of course this was pissing the violet eyed man off, but he was trying to keep his mouth shut as best as he could. The stitch man was being rather tolerant with him, which was not something most people ever did. Plus he had sewed him up quite a few times now even though it wasn't needed. He had sacrificed quite a few useless gophers earlier that afternoon with some stupid rabbits just for good measures. It was the thought that counted though. He probably would have passed out from pleasurable blood loss by now if it wasn't for the stitch man patching him up every twenty-three minutes or so.

The car began to slide to a stop in the middle of a four-way crossroad. Kakuzu turned off the ignition and stilled.

Hidan blinked. "What the-?"

"Shh…"

"But-"

"Shut up and listen."

"Listen for-?"

Kakuzu slammed his hand over the Jashinist's mouth and yanked his head forward so they were nose to nose. Hidan tried yanking away, but the yellow eyes merely glowered right through him.

"Just shut up and listen…"

Hidan groaned as his eyebrow twitched with frustration, while Kakuzu tightened his massive hand that was clamped on his jaw. The pressure actually felt good to him, which in turn caused him to relax. He did actually hear something though. It was a low hum, and it was gradually growing louder. He knew that sound though; he had heard it before, several times actually. On TV, in the movies, on the street… down at the track…

"Shit!"

Hidan shifted his leg to the point he was sitting in the elder's lap, turned the key and slammed on the peddle. Three seconds after the car screeched out of the intersection, two cars collided on either side of the road, causing an explosion that reeked of gasoline, mixed molten metal and flaming rubber.

"How did you know that was going to happen?" Kakuzu asked finally removing his hand.

"Used to go to drag races all the time. And when you get shit ass spots to where you can't see, that's what you hear."

"A hum?"

"Usually a hum, then a zoom; but this time it was a hum, zoom, **CRASH**! Ha!"

"I see… Hidan?"

"Yeah?"

The stitch man reached around the front of him and grabbed the Jashinist by his shirt. "Get off my lap and let me drive."

The silver haired man laughed and floored the car. "Hell no! We're still being trailed dumbass, and I haven't been in a race in years."

"What makes you think we're being followed?"

"You can't hear their engines?"

"Not when I don't know what to listen for."

"They're probably two streets away from us. One behind and one in front, that's how they gang up and get ya."

"So they crash into each other?"

"Well, we were supposed to be in between them; lucky for you, I'm not stupid."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because you're ideas always turn out perfect."

"Hey! I'll have you know I act stupid to hide my genius!"

"Right..." Kakuzu forced the younger man back, making him land on the other's broad chest with a soft impact. "I don't care if you sit, but _I'm_ driving."

"Humph…" Hidan released his hold on the steering wheel and leaned back with a sneer of satisfaction, as Kakuzu reached and grabbed the wheel with his own rough hands. The Jashinist crossed his arms and relaxed, feeling rather accomplished. "You _would_ want to drive you controlling bastard… But I have to admit, you're as comfortable as a leather chair!"

"Just shut up, your voice is giving me a headache."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" the Jashinist continued his tirade from earlier; he even turned his head and glared. "Since when the do I ever listen to you? There's no way in fucking hell that I'll ever shut up, because you are the most sanctimonious asshole I have ever-" his head was whipped and forced up. His nose slid under the cloth that covered the lower half of the elder man's face, and he found himself kissing his operator.

No… He was kissing _Kakuzu_.

They had to be the driest lips to ever exist, but they were mostly soft. Hidan didn't care though, he was stunned enough, and the fact that they were in a moving car somehow made him hot. He could feel a line of stitches underlining Kakuzu's bottom lip, and he smiled into the kiss. His tongue rubbed along each single line, and found himself grabbing onto the other man's shirt to get a better angle; but Kakuzu let one hand go from the steering wheel and started lifting up his ass.

Hidan pushed back for a breath of air. "Who in hell said you could-?"

Kakuzu pushed him back and this time forced open his mouth. Hidan felt his whole body shiver with warmth all the way down his spine. Instinct was starting to pound in his veins and the mask that was shifting around their noses was pissing him off. The Jashinist lashed his hand up and behind the dark locks to undo the knot that held the cloth in place, and let it drift to their laps. When he did that though, his teeth started to get more involved as the Kakuzu began biting his lip and that felt just so damn... _good._ It was like Kakuzu was pouring magma down past his lips, letting it dribble past throat, wrap around his sides, and even have rest in his groin. A new hand was scraping up his back and was threatening to spill blood when he set his nails into the sensitive skin that connected his neck and shoulder. And oh... did that feel like _fucking_ bliss. His body was starting to burn and twitch, but what he fully noticed now; was that he had two hands on his body. So when Kakuzu started tearing down his neck, he forced his eyes open a crack.

"Oi… when did you…" the stitch man sank his teeth right above his collar bone, and _JASHIN_ did he have to keep a moan down from his pleading throat. "Ng…" he had to pant out his last word. "Park…"

Kakuzu's tongue entered his open skin to mix his saliva with his blood, making him use all his strength to shift back and hide his hard on.

"I told you to shut up, didn't I?"

"Aha… Who said… I want… ed…" another severe amount of pressure was put on his lower back. "Your… ah! Grand… pah… teeth… on me…?"

"Oh?" The stitch man's dry lips grinned against his flaming flesh that he could have sworn was aching for another touch. "You seem to want something," Kakuzu's large hand grabbed his pulsing crotch and his body caved in from the melting thrill.

"Jashin…!" His head fell to the stitch man's broad shoulder, and he began to soak it with his hot breath. "Fine! So what? I'm hard! Ah!" Kakuzu started massaging him through his jeans, but it was too damn subtle…! "Fuck! If you're going to do that then-!" He lost his breath when he suddenly felt as if his entire crotch was squeezed into a smoldering oblivion.

"If I'm going to do _what_, Hidan?" Kakuzu's dry lips brushed against his damp neck, and he found himself wanting to be smothered.

"'Kuzu…"

Jashin forgive him. Being pleased by an unconverted bastard… and liking it to the point of wanting more… It wasn't like he had any shame in the first place, but this was Kakuzu. The heathen asshole who he had been talking to for half a year over nonsense! The stitch man complained every night, but he answered every time and never hung up once. And now the man was teasing him all to hell and he didn't even care… he just wanted _more_.

"It… hurts…"

"Which means it feels good to you."

"Damn it…! I want to cum…"

"Cheh, you think I'm going to let you cum in my car?" Despite his words, the stitch man undid his jeans and started rubbing him through his boxers with his rough fingers. They ran up and down his pulsing length, all the way to the crown; where he rubbed his leaking slit.

"Fuck!"

"I don't take orders."

There was a noise.

"Huh…?" Hidan had heard it before…

It was faint, but it was there.

"I said I don't take orders." Kakuzu jerked him hard, making the albino's hand whip up to cover his own mouth before he cried from the warm waves of his body.

"Would you stop that? I'm trying to listen you asshole!"

It was coming closer… and he could recognize it as the hum of an engine, but this one sounded different; more raw.

"Listen for what?"

Hidan growled and covered the stitch man's mouth with both his hands, one over the other, and growled. "Just shut up, and put the car in drive," he said much to his own chagrin. "We're sitting squirrels like this," he removed his hands and reached for some of the automatics he brought, all the while placing his ass right besides Kakuzu's face.

The stitch man rolled his eyes, put the car in drive, and yanked the Jashinist back by his loose pants to land in his lap with a gun half his size.

"Sweet! Where did you get this beauty?" Hidan whistled as he crawled back over to the passenger's seat.

"I think I got that one when I did a job for some countess."

"Oh?"

"I ended up taking everything in her vault and artillery after I fucked her."

Hidan frowned, un-amused. "You just made me go completely soft…" he blinked, hearing that sound again, only ten times louder.

"Tough shit."

"…Kakuzu… I think we need to get moving."

"Why? There are only twenty-two banks in the city, and most of them are barely worth even looking into."

"Kakuzu you bastard! Just get going!"

The stitch man growled, but put the car into drive and started rolling across the gravel, to slow for the Jashinist's taste. He listened for the noise again, and found it too loud and to close for comfort.

"Kakuzu… if you don't floor this shit car; I'm going to crush your crusty old balls!"

"Those are some serious words coming from the asshole that just let me molest him."

The noise suddenly became a roar, and it was deafening close.

"Just get moving! Do you not hear that?"

"Fine," Kakuzu kicked it up to sixty miles per hour. "What is that?"

"I rather not find out dip shit, so just keep driving…"

"It sounds like its right on top of us. And it can't be a car."

"It's probably four of them all at once! So keep going and don't get off this road."

"…" The stitch man pressed the peddle closer to the floor, passing eighty miles per-hour and throwing Hidan back in his seat.

"There's no way you're going to out run them dumbass!"

"Are you even paying attention?" Kakuzu snapped. "That engine is huge, there's no way it's just four cars."

The noise was a blare, and even worse, all around them. They couldn't even hear their own yelling it was that bad. It was a roar of more than one massive engine. They had no idea what it could be, but the car kept moving, unknowingly moving towards the junkyard…

Hidan, sensing the street rocking with the pebbles shaking below them, grabbed the steering wheel in the white noise. He turned it sharply to the right, making the car skid and screech right before they entered a new intersection. Kakuzu crushed the break before they toppled over, and right as they stopped, three monster trucks, with tires taller than both men, beat past them and down the road with god like destruction.

"Where the fuck did they get monster trucks?" The stitch man fumed.

"Who cares? Things just got fun!" Hidan started loading his automatic. "What are you waiting for? Start following them!"

Kakuzu nodded and put the car in full gear and trailed after the massive vehicles. Hidan swung his torso up and set the gun on the ruff as they drew closer to the trucks. Once in range, he started firing off his rounds. The whipping wind dried his eyes and cooled his tensed muscles. He was strong enough to hold back the recoil the gun gave off, but his aim wasn't fairing well. The albino's first round finished at the wrong time, because now the assholes in the trucks had now started firing back. Kakuzu started swerving, almost throwing Hidan out of the car completely.

"Oi! Bastard! Are you trying to kill me?"

"You're not going to do any damage with that," the stitch man pulled him back in the car and gave a sharp turn on to a narrow road. "If you want to take them out, get the case on the floor."

"The floor?" Hidan looked back behind the seat and saw, in fact, a huge case on the floor. He snatched it up with some effort, and barely hauled it into his lap. The Jashinist, being the kind of man he was, threw he top off; and suddenly felt euphoria explode within him.

"Kakuzu… this is…"

"A bazooka? Yes."

If Hidan wasn't a man, he would of probably squealed with joy like a girl getting their first cell phone. "Talk about getting just what you want! Kakuzu you bastard, I'm so riding you dry after I sacrifice one of those fucks!" Being over whelmed, the Jashinist kissed the elder's cheek, and then started admiring the weapon once again.

"Whatever…" the stitch man grumbled, trying to keep the erotic images out of his head. "Just load the damn thing and shoot them when we get in front of them."

"Hell yeah!"

Hidan loaded one of the miniature missiles into the glorified gun, and hoisted himself up so he was sitting on the door frame, and placed the bazooka on the ruff like he did the automatic. The stinging wind felt like feather paint brushes limning out his features. And an amazing rush of adrenaline and life suddenly had him ready to destroy the world and concur the ashes. Jashin did he feel good!

Kakuzu turned one last corner, and parked the car. Hidan pulled himself up to half lay along the hood as he heard the monster trucks destroy all in their path. They turned to face their street and were a mile away approximately, and nearing at a ridiculous rate. He could smell the toxic oil pit they were burning off for gas, and he could clearly see their vulgar paint jobs. Usually, these would be the type of people he would hang with, get drunk with and stay at the bars until last call; slap ass and go to underground riot parties with. But right now, it was just too much fun to kill their pathetic asses.

"Hidan, they're close enough; fire!"

The trucks suddenly picked up speed.

"Aw, shut it! I'm waiting 'til the right moment!"

The first one was less than a block away.

"If you wait much longer well be caught in the explosion, or crushed!"

They floored it.

"Just trust me!"

"Fine; I trust you, so don't kill us!"

Now or never, now or die.

Hidan sent the first missile. The recoil was two fold's stronger than the automatic, and it sent him back so far he almost fell to the ground. The missile exploded right under the first truck, destroying its engine and causing a chain reaction and made it in turn explode like a star at the end of its life. But Hidan wasn't done yet. He reached into the passenger's seat right as he felt the ground shake, and the heat waves hit his face. He loaded the bazooka with another missile, aimed; and hit the truck again when it was descending from its mid-air flaming tuck. The second explosion seemed more powerful as the destroyed pieces of metal finally scattered into burning hot pipes and bolts. Hidan ducked back into the car as the parts rained down, grinning with power and joy.

"THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!" The Jashinist cheered in his seat, now beyond his normal crazed boundaries. Had he not been holding the giant gun, he probably would have tackled the elder.

"Hmph." Kakuzu had to admit, despite Hidan's stupid procrastination, what he'd done wasn't half bad. "Want to go finish the rest of them off?"

"Fuck _yes!_"

The stitch man chuckled and put the car in drive. "Alright, I think I saw one of them heading towards the better side of town, and the other one was heading past the junk yard. Which one do we go after?"

Hidan smirked bitterly, his high only getting higher. "Past the junk yard is Blondie's territory, and unless you have a death wish, we aren't heading over there any time soon."

"Oh?"

"Do you think that puppet would let Blondie out on his own if he couldn't kill like that weird momma's boy from Psycho?"

"…"

"Well trust me; we'd be roasted rabbits if we stepped over the wrong line over there. So uptown it is! You can raid your fancy ass banks while I sacrificing their wimp asses. After that you can fuck me."

"Sounds like a plan."

DAY 78 - SUNDAY - 12:00 AM

"Nice one Taito!"

"Mm…"

The two brothers worked like a machine, striking with fluid and familiar movements. It had been a while since they had seen action like this. Men with all kinds of different weapons were coming at them from the circle that had formed. Taito was using his ice-pick. The violet haired boy was used to it, and didn't feel comfortable using anything else to smash a man's head in. Akaito, on the other hand, preferred his 'baby's'. They were his classic semi-automatic Astra 400 handguns, and he never went in a brawl without them.

They were good fighters, the two brothers, but their minds weren't currently with them.

Taito was worried. He kept thinking back to their home, where Nana Ha and Nana Gem were watching over Tomo, and more importantly; Nigaito. He didn't like leaving his little brother with two stranger's (well, not completely strangers, but he didn't know them personally), and he felt wrong just leaving him like that. He rarely left his brother's side, and he was going insane just thinking of the danger he was in just by being in the city…

Akaito though, was the opposite. He knew his elder brother, Kikaito, would be worrying about the entire night, and he hated doing that to his Onii. Akaito knew he had a temper that was hard to control, and he knew him and Taito working together was dangerous because of the younger's yandere personality that could easily make him snap at any time. But he and his violet haired brother were strong together, no matter what Kikaito said or thought… Even still, he didn't like making his brother worry, in fact; he felt like shit because of it.

The two brothers, because of this, weren't at their best. They even started noticing this when a thug nicked Taito's shoulder without his awareness, and when Akaito fell to the ground, barely blocking an attack from a sword user. They were close to being overpowered, and both of them sensed it. So they shared looks, and nodded- knowing what they had to do. They took in the deepest breaths they could manage, tapped into their questionable voices, and let out when they called a Sonic Boom. This technique was used when the Kyoko were in a tough situation, and they were with a person that had at least an octave voice difference. The two members were screaming, one voice high, one low; the bigger the difference- the better the effect. The member's voices would ring out with two different wave lengths, causing extreme pain to the listener.

Akaito and Taito did just this, and it was perfect. The five brothers: Nigaito, Taito, Kaito, Akaito, and Kikaito, all had very differing voices. And as it worked out, the older the sibling, the lower the voice. Nigaito of course had the highest because he was youngest; following him was in fact Taito, as long as he was not in his yandere state of mind. Kaito was the middle of their voices, and Akaito, being the older twin, actually had a voice an octave lower. Lastly, due to the mishap that happened years ago, Kikaito had his deep baritone voice that was two octaves lower than Kaito's.

So with Taito screeching out the shrillest sound he could manage, and Akaito belching out the lowest moan every too resound, the remaining men covered their ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. Akaito then ceased his voice quickly, and put a bullet in each remaining man's head. The bodies fell, and the brothers panted, out of breath from their yelling. They looked at each other, gave an airy laugh, and landed back to back on the ground in a ring of corpses. They sat there, listening to every scream, gun shot, and faint song around them. It was a sorrowful thing to hear, but the brothers had other things on their minds…

"Hey," Akaito relaxed against his brother's back. "What's on your mind? You aren't really up to par right now, no offense."

"None taken…"

"So what's up, Otouto?"

"Ha…" the violet haired boy smiled. "I guess… I'm just worrying… about the others."

"About Nigaito you mean?"

"I… suppose."

"It's alright man," the redheaded boy patted his knuckles against the other's shoulder, kind of like an awkward fist bump. "We know you fawn over him."

Taito suddenly felt the conversation slipping away from him, and became defensive with his cheeks tinting. "I-!"

"Chill, chill," his brother put him at ease. "You practically raised Nigaito by yourself. We get why you're protective of him."

"Oh…" he calmed himself. "Then… what about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not at your best either, Onii."

"You smug little runt," he gave his brother a bump, as the two started to laugh together. A piece of happiness surrounded by bleak death. "Yeah… I guess I'm a little shaken up too. I figure everyone is."

"We could die… that's why."

"We've faced death before."

"But," Taito continued, feeling how tense his brother was.

"…Guess the stakes are really high this time."

"Suppose… That's true…"

There was a pause between them, and the brothers felt rather distant from the world then. They were feeling the pressure the night possessed, and it was like gravity was pushing down on them as if it was a cinderblock. If anyone got hurt, let alone killed… They had already lost Luka and Meiko, anyone else and who knows what would happen… No one was ever prepared to lose somebody.

"Hey, why don't you head back to Nigaito?"

"Huh?"

"It's alright, I'll be fine."

"But-"

"Look, I'll go find Kikaito, put him at ease, and you'll get back to Nigaito. That'll fix yourself right up."

"Really? You don't mind?" Taito looked at his brother with his good eye, surprised.

"It's no problem bro, now, get up; this place is starting to stink like blood."

Akaito helped up Taito, the both of them feeling a little relieved.

Completely unaware of the tragedies they were about to face.

"See you later Otouto."

"As long as you stay alive Onii."

"Hey now!"

They clasped hands together with confident looks.

"Swear we'll both come back alive then?" Akaito grinned.

"I promise."

"Yeah, I promise too."

They walked away, not knowing what fate had in store for not only them, but for the rest of Kyoko.

Who were about to be tested in fate's cruelest ways.

12:01 P.M.

"Itachi… your eyes…"

"They're fine, Kisame."

"No they're not, you overdid it."

"…" Itachi Uchiha was resting himself on the steps of a building, his head in his hands. He had been using his genetic eyes that could cast lethal illusions into anyone's mind. Everyone in his family could do this, due to a DNA deformation, but everything has limits…

"Can you see?" Kisame knelled down before him, but all the raven hair could make out was a blurry mess.

"Hn."

"Humph," the shark like man grinned. "You're a sorry liar. Now stand up, we need to find Kakuzu and Hidan," he offered his hand, and the Uchiha hesitantly took it.

They started down the street, silently deciding to search blindly for the other mercenary and college student. They moved in their own silence, as the rest of the city died under their feet. For the entire duration of the week, they had spent most of their time together, neither of them mentioning the kiss in Kisame's car. It was never awkward between the two of them though, in fact the idea almost seem impossible. Their individual personalities just made things that way. Kisame was particularly cherry (even though it was sometimes in a more gruesome sense), and usually didn't feel tense or shifty atmospheres. Some would call him dense because of this, be he found it rather convenient. Itachi, on the other hand, was adapted to all kinds of silence, and never found it uncomfortable to sit in one for long periods of time.

Despite these things, they were actually rather good at communicating with each other. Only they did it quietly so no knew what they were saying. This had actually pissed off the others including Deidara and Hidan, who were usually oblivious to things unless they were told flat out or were goaded into realization. Kisame found this amusing, but Itachi was just relieved (in his own way) to be around someone who could interpret him without him going to the trouble of using unneeded words.

"Ne, Itachi?"

The raven looked at Kisame out of the corner of his eye.

"Do you like college?"

"The knowledge they teach is unnecessary," the raven answered curtly. "…Why do you ask?"

"Don't know… just never got to go, so I thought I'd ask ya'."

"You never went to college…?" Itachi started to ponder this. His blue friend was actually rather smart, so he began to wonder if it was from an out sourced education, or if the world was just common sense to the killer just like it was for him.

"Ha! I never went to school!"

"Hn."

"Ah…" the light blue man rubbed the back of his head. "I grew up in a poor country. I worked down at the docks with my uncle who was just a sleaze, ya know? Couldn't trust him for anything excepting makin' a buck. I didn't mind too much though. On the job, things could get interesting. And I had some good muscle too."

"You lived with your uncle," Itachi rolled his feet along the asphalt, his eyes staring straight ahead as the other man reminisced out loud.

"Yeah… never really knew where my dad was, or my mom. I suppose they were around while I was young, but it's not like I can remember much about them. I think I had a brother though… maybe a sister? I don't know, I think I had some form of a sibling... maybe they were a transgender and that's why I can't remember."

"Did your family not want you because of your appearance?"

As soon as the words slipped, he felt that he was prying a little too much, and he'd hate to be rude. But Kisame roared with mirth to the point he threw back his head and held his gut.

"What? You think I came out like this? Nah, when I was about… twenty-one maybe, no older than twenty-three; I fell over the docks during a storm and passed out. When I woke up I was in some weird-ass lab. Talk about not knowing human rights at all! They just zapped me for a while, and then threw me in some concrete room."

"They experimented on you."

"Yeah, guess you could say that. They put me in a lot of water, but I managed those tests easily cause of my work on the docks. So I guess they decided to finally just make me a fish…"

The humor was dying in the other's voice, and Itachi became direly tuned to it.

"Kisame, you do not need to speak of things you are uncomfortable with."

Kisame stopped in the middle of the road, Itachi shadowing his actions to finally look at his towering friend. The raven hair couldn't read the other's expression at first, but when he raised his head, the Uchiha saw the larger man gently smiling.

"Thank you, Itachi," he tussled the top of his hair. "One step at a time, eh?" His hand slid down to his shoulder, and rested there for a moment.

Itachi watched his friend's eyes, and sensed his facade. The Uchiha let his hand rise and let it rest on Kisame's that was on his shoulder. The taller man sighed at this and tried to bring his hand down, but Itachi's fingers kept up with his, and adjusted to keep hold.

"Itachi…"

The younger of the two tried to focus his eyes, but they couldn't do the sight of his taller friend justice. It was a shame though. Itachi always found the shark like man an intriguing figure to study. His nature was that of a human, but he found most people didn't look that close. Kisame's appearance frightened most people, and that was understandable he supposed. His skin was tinted a light blue; even his dark hair had hints of midnight in them when the light was just right. His teeth were sharpened down to his molars, and his nails were a little more like razors than anything, but most didn't know that the large man was careful with these features.

Kisame himself may not have been aware.

Itachi had found the mercenary, despite his career, was wary with his interactions. He never touched anyone unless he found it necessary. He never even showed his teeth around strangers if it could be helped. The large man even took precaution; if not more, with the raven hair. The younger assumed his operator didn't want him to get attached to him for whatever reason. But Itachi found that a pitiful excuse for the man to use, no matter what the situation.

"My vision is failing," he told the taller man. "But I know you're hiding something."

Kisame silenced himself while a rally of gun shots echoed off close by. He removed his hand, and the younger didn't resist the movement, but merely followed it until he was holding on to the elder man's wrist.

"Sasori, Kakuzu, and I will be leaving shortly after this is all said and done. We've already spent too much time here and our boss isn't happy considering Kakuzu and I aren't even working. I suspect the only reason we've been able to stay is because Sasori keeps in contact with him, and reports to him annually. Though…"

Itachi's air like grasp tightened the tiniest bit, telling the other to continue. And even though the younger couldn't quite make out the man's expression, Kisame grimaced, and shook his wrist free so he could grab onto the Uchiha's hand to hold.

"After Sasori fills out his full report, all of us will be leaving; _for good_."

* * *

**Quick thing to all my dear lovlies! I'm sorry there has been a lack of SasoDei, but it'll come back! Just give it time! X] **

**Also! Vote on my profile for a sequel, yay or nay, and thank my marvelous beta, SweetScarlett97; aka Nic, for editing this mess of a chapter!**


	37. Misery on the Front

**[DISCLAIMER: I'm not dead. But I hate zombies. Does Sasori count as a zombie? He can't be, I love Sasori… What are these things for again?]**

**A/N: Umm... I can already see all of you killing me so, uh... quick info. Sasodei a little back this chapter, definitely in the next. Any questions about the possible sequel just look on my profile. And... I'll honestly be surprised if anyone reads this. After such a long time? I really don't deserve anything...**

**From and ego shrunken writer-**

**Teiden**

**Beta Reader: -Nic**

* * *

12:04 A.M.

A chill ran down Deidara's spine.

Something had chilled the air, like Death had placed it's scythe right along his throat right at the moment…, but that couldn't be right. He was alone on the rooftops, with the exception of Sasori's puppet watching him work and the two chain twins waiting to spring into action if needed. The streets below him were crawling with barbaric thugs, but they weren't aware of his presence… Yet, that is. So why the sudden apprehension? He wondered.

"Finished?" Sasori asked from his puppet.

"Impatient bastard…"

"Brat," the blonde imagined the elder narrowing his eyes across town at him. "Your hour is almost up. Are you done or not?"

"I'll get going soon, un;" he turned to face the puppet rather than staring down at the pest flooded streets. "You shouldn't worry so much Danna, un. I can take care of myself."

"No. You can't," the puppet said icily. "You're out of your league by yourself."

Deidara frowned, his temper heating and his heart feeling strained. He needed this. "You don't need to protect me when I can handle it, un."

"That's the thing, brat. You can't. You don't have the experience or the skill to handle this by yourself. The only reason no one is even allowed near this area is because it's dangerous. You're lucky I can manipulate these puppets like I can or else you'd be dead."

"I'm not a pathetic toy you can control, un."

The puppet's arm lashed out and grabbed his shirt. The twins suddenly moved also, and constricted arms. Deidara tried to struggle out of the wooden hold, but it was useless despite his temper. The puppet's joints had locked and there was no possible way he could move. The main puppet Sasori seemed to be controlling approached him in a robotic manner, as if the joints were stiff with time. It jerked his chin up roughly though, so he was forced to look into the glass eyes. This action pissed him off, and the unnecessary coldness coming from his own heart only made his temper tick that much more.

"They're looking for you," the puppet hissed. "Five hundred remaining killers are looking for your hide to skin and bring to the white haired fuck. Do you think you can handle that? Do you think you can kill that many homicidal idiots, Deidara?"

"Tch…" the blonde lowered his eyes with a snarl.

"You need me. I've sent out puppets to look for Kikaito and Len to warn them also since they are specifically looking for a blonde male."

"What the hell?" Deidara yelled and leaned forward a little against his retrained arms. "You make it sound like you're doing everything and the rest of us are sideshows, un! You can't tell me you've lost puppets, and that some of them aren't damaged, un! Do you even know if anyone is dead? Do you even care? They're all putting their fucking lives out there for us and you make it sound like you're the only immoral murder out here, un!"

"Brat, you're not even listening to me," the puppet tightened its grip; Sasori's voice now on the verge of hitting full volume. "I'm focusing on you so you don't end up dead. Yes, I'm losing puppets. No, I don't know if anyone is dead because they don't need me to baby sit them. My main priority is you!"

"And what makes me different from them, hn? You can't just trust me enough to make sure I do my part of the deal? A human life is easy enough to take, it's not that hard, un!"

"Exactly, you're human Deidara. The Kyoko and UTAUloids all have mechanical parts that make them less susceptible to physical harm. They can also use their voices at any moment. While everyone from the apartments' have records of unnatural skills. You can't compare yourself to them."

"…" Deidara grit his teeth, his heart frozen over, and his body burning; "…Just leave…"

"…"

"Did I stutter?" His eyes started to bleed hate, and the puppets holding his arms let their hold drop. But the wooden figure holding his shirt pulled him closer, as if to seriously warn him of something.

Not that he'd listen to anything at this point.

"Leave," he repeated one final time- his hand gripping the jagged wrist.

Though the city quaked with a bloody war, the air was silent, still; almost as if the universe had misplaced him for a moment. But it only took a second of quiet; a simple pause, before the puppet let go of him, and walked towards the staircase to exit. Deidara turned his harsh stare towards the twins, and they followed momentarily. And then…

He was alone.

Deidara hadn't been alone in weeks, oddly enough. Sasori had always been with him; every hour of every day, watching him silently, or chiding him quietly. That had seemed to make the elder think he needed to be watched constantly. That he was a constant unstable mess… He wasn't though, and he had the elder to thank for that, but right now, he needed to prove to his Danna that he was worth something. Worth keeping around- because if he couldn't do such a simple thing…

He'd lose Sasori no Danna forever.

Ritsu's words had struck a chord. He realized that if he didn't change, and prove himself useful, Sasori would have to leave whether he wanted too or not. That was it though; the redhead said it before…

"-If you were of late, I would suffer for the rest of my eternity. I'd be lost and frozen as everything moved around me," he gave that smile then, the one that was ironically gentle that also held the utmost dominance. "And I could only imagine how you would fair without me.-"

Sasori could go on through life, but Deidara couldn't. He knew he couldn't. Hell, he almost ended his life as it stands…

"How stupid…" he mumbled to himself. This recollection cooled his thoughts like ice, and he remembered what he had planned so long ago…

Before the entire fiasco had started; before Deidara had called Sasori, gotten raped and landed on the redhead's doorstep- he had been planning to blow the entire city sky high. That was why he had been storing his secret clay up in the small attic, and why he would always disappear for hours on end so he could practice making the perfect piece of art. Not that anyone noticed he was gone, but…

He could remember all of it so clearly.

He could remember every day, waking up afraid; with a little hope that someone would talk to him, or not run away from him when he was brave enough to come up to someone. His hair was shorter then, and he hadn't started wearing make-up. So he wasn't known as the king quite yet, but more as a precious prince who was related to the former king; his brother. He would go to school, ready and willing some form of luck to strike his life, but every day, people would point, whisper, giggle, and smile in his direction. Though never approach him. And when he himself became brave enough to even approach his old friends, they would act surprised for a second, but then make up an excuse to leave him. It wasn't just his old friends though, everyone did this.

By sophomore year, the loneliness was unbearable.

He gave up trying to get people to see him as a human, yet somewhere he had a sliver of hope that someone would come up to him on their own accord, and greet him like any other person. Such a thing never happened though. He went to school; solemn, quiet, and above all, alone. The days were agonizingly long, and whether he was surprised about this fact or not, the pain he felt, and the swallowing ache that took over his mind, seemed new and chokingly fresh every day he woke up. Neither of his parents or step-parents noticed his change; they were too involved in themselves. His teachers neither showed any care towards him either. He was one in a thousand, and they had heard all the whispered rumors of his glorified status, and didn't think anything of him.

They were all shallow fucks.

Not one of them noticed how he always sat by himself. Not one of them noticed he never talked or raised his hand in class. His parents never saw how dim his personality had become. From being energetic, creative, and involved in life to… nothing. No one noticed, no one cared.

So Junior year, he screwed everything over and did what he wanted- his resentment towards humanity too strong. His vendetta against the city itself had already started, and he began collecting his microscopic bombs as the Mayor's stepson as leeway. He grew his hair out and started wearing makeup, his status as the king now known. He joined upperclassmen that treated him like gold, yet never actually included him.

Senior year, he had just about gone bitterly insane. But he couldn't snap yet- he had to hold out. That was how he ended up calling the redhead, who gave him more than he bargained for. Deidara had now been given the chance of a life time, to pursue his ultimate artistic career, and stay with his Danna. He fucked this up and it was all over. And he could not let that happen…

Deidara had to do this right, and he had to do it on his own.

12:10 A.M.

Sasori groaned to the heavens and clenched his teeth.

Why did Deidara have to start acting difficult now?

He again complained aloud, his frustration growing. He had yet to find Uragirimono or Itazura and he was beginning to lose every bit of his patience after that little tiff with the blonde. His puppets were diminishing and he hadn't heard from the other mercenaries to know how things were going in the search.

It was just so god damn irritating . . .!

His nails dug into his sides, and he couldn't help the anger rising from his being. But if anything, he could use it as fuel he supposed. . .

From behind the roof's exit, Gly frowned.

"Calm down Sasori . . .," he mumbled. "You're not going to win if you lose your temper. . ."

12:12 A.M.

They were overwhelmed.

"Sing forever…!" Gumi shouted to the twins, dodging throwing knives in a bloody state.

"At the distorted bottom of the dying world

I am fated to sing prayers

With the gentle voices sleeping in the forgotten past

As I change my despair to a smile I sink to the bottom of tears."

Rin almost cried out the words, trying to make them sound as smooth as they possibly could. Though she had her eyes closed and was putting herself into the song, she knew what was happening around her. The knowing of this made her tear up, and want to fight all at the same time.

Len skidded to a stop to pivot on the ball of his foot and high kick the man chasing him. He then ran away from a large group of offenders that was shooting at him, and activated his voice.

"At the end of the desperate paradise

I seek the lost voice

I am fated to wander

From street to street, further and further away."

He paused, knowing more people were trapped in his song, but not enough. He heard a scream, and felt his soul start to die.

Please don't let that be Rin, he silently begged to the universe. Please…

He continued nonetheless, knowing this was part of his job…

"In the shadow of the closed history

I long for the stolen days

The voice that echoes in the depth of my heart is agonized by suffering

My wish doesn't reach to the everlasting paradise

It is distorted with voices and keeps vanishing away.

I want to make sure the sound of your warmth with my hands, Not hesitating to get hurt."

He lifted his eyes just enough to see past his lemon eyelashes, and saw Rin nod to him past the fools that had sank into their song. At the nod though, he opened up his range and prepared for the stronger part of the song.

"I will fight…!"

The twins yelled in unison, and the killing momentum around them started to slow as more people fell into their story. Gumi was around somewhere in the mix, slaughtering them, which wasn't necessarily needed since they were all dying anyway, but it did help.

Len felt the energy change, and so he decided to finish his part, grabbing onto his twin's hand.

"I'll take the life of the roaring voice

Let it write and sleep to the end of the world

If I can't reach you after dissolving light,

Then I'll just finish off this artificial paradise with my own hands."

The twins held onto each other's hands with a vise grip, and waited for Gumi to say her small line; ensuring it was okay to hit their final expansion.

But it never came.

And it only took that single moment of hesitation, for things to go down the bloody hill.

A frozen moment was broken with a cold scream; the twins turned back and watch a glimpse of green hair disappear with flailing legs. Rin and Len felt their pupils dilate in horror, as Gumi was dragged by unknown figures away from them.

At that moment, the two small blondes felt the air shift for the worst and their song start to lift. Len was quick after he realized this, and so he tightened his grip, and pulled Rin off in a sprint. He had to get them far away. He had to.

They'd be dead otherwise.

"Hey…, was one of those midgets a boy?"

"Yeah!"

"Aren't we lookin' for a blonde boy to bring back to Uragirimono-sama?"

"Get them!"

Rin awoke from her stunned state, and started to move her legs with her mind now focusing. They were looking for a blonde boy…?

"They must be looking for Deidara," Len finished her thought. "Which means we can't let them catch us! Come on!" the younger sibling hauled his sister down an alley, knowing they could not be caught no matter what.

Rin moved her legs and followed down the bleak road, passing bodies and splashing in puddles of blood and filth every now and then. But she was stuck on something… Len said they couldn't let those people catch them, but he had it wrong.

They couldn't catch Len.

She understood this with a whiplash of fear, and acted quickly. She took one step bigger than her brother, and rammed her hip into his, sending him into a narrow space between two buildings near an escape latter. "Rin!"

"Quiet!" She hissed quickly taking her bow off. She stepped on his stomach, making him arch his back to the ground, and she tied his hands quickly to the escape rail.

"What are you doing!"

"Hush!" She reached behind his head, undid his small ponytail, and then took off his pants and slid her skirt off.

"Rin!" Len closed his eyes tightly to hide his eyes from his sister's body. "What are you doing?"

"I can't let them get you Len," the elder twin said as she put up her hair.

"Rin, they'll kill you if they find out you're not me!"

"You don't know that! I'll just offer to trade sides because I'll blame Sasori for your 'death'. Then when I'm free I'll come back for you." She spoke quickly, putting on the shorts and zipping them up.

"Rin, you can't do this- please!"

"Len…," she puffed out her cheeks, unknotted the bow around her neck and stuffed it in her half-clothed brother's mouth. "I'm doing this whether you want me to or not…," she yanked off his tie. "I need to make sure you're safe, and this is the only way…"

"…!"

Rin smiled as she fixed the tie around her neck. "Goodbye Len," she kissed his cheek. "I love you," she covered her struggling twin in filled trash bags and placed empty cans around him before she sprinted off into the darkness.

Knowing there was a good chance she may never see him again.

12:15 A.M.

Kikaito ran for his life.

He had hit full range some time ago, and his voice was still recharging. Sparing time, he kept sprinting off into the unknown while drawing a bigger crowd. The people behind him kept yelling something about looking for a blonde male, so he assumed they were looking for Deidara.

What if they had Deidara…?

Kikaito froze, and went to defensive mode. He spun around and kicked a man in his shins and followed up by smashing the underside of his palm into the man's temple. After that, his body moved on its own, and his brain went into over drive. What if these people did have Deidara? The whole point of this night was for them to win, and if they took the younger blond, then… Also by now, Kikaito was actually rather fond of the boy. He was a genius at the piano, had his own form of brilliance, and wasn't a bad mercenary either.

How was he supposed to repay Sasori…?

The blonde baritone man could remember even now the day Sasori and he had been assigned on the same job. They didn't bicker, and they worked silently, but one night they were caught when they were placing triggers. An entourage of bullets cascaded towards him, and he froze under shock. At the last moment, he heard someone shout his name. His eyes opened, and there was Sasori controlling a massive puppet that had blocked the bullets. Kikaito was truly stunned. They had barely spoken the entire time, and the only time they had heard each other's name was when their employer was giving introductions… Kikaito could remember all of this with precise clarity, and had it not been for the redhead, he'd be dead… He owed his life to Sasori; and right now, and most likely for the rest of the puppeteer's eternity- Deidara was Sasori's life.

So Kikaito had to do something…

A beyond stupid plan entered his head at the same time his phone rang. He picked it up while he dodged a sword that slashed a tip of his hair away.

"Yes?"

"Kikaito, where are you? Me and Taito split up and I'm looking for ya."

"Sorry, brother," the elder said sincerely. "I truly am."

"What? What's going on bro?"

"I'm not sure what's going to happen, so take care of everyone- okay?"

"Kikaito? Don't hang up! What's going on? Are you being captured?"

A faint smile formed on his smooth lips. Two mili-seconds later, a crowbar was smashed into his shoulder blade, sending him to the ground.

"I love you…, otouto."

"Onii-!"

His phone was crushed, and Kikaito silently hoped his brother would forgive him.

12:20 A.M.

"This is far enough! Hurry up!"

"I got it, I got it!"

"Don't fuck around; all this blood has made me hard."

"You two are disgusting."

"Shut it Amber! You can't tell me you're not dripping right now!"

"So? I don't go around grabbing people to fuck- which is called rape by the way."

"Just shut the hell up would you!"

A lanky shirtless man with greasy, long, dark hair threw Gumi up against a building, her breathing labored. A grotesquely fat man stood beside him, looking at the green haired girl as if she was a piece of meat. Though to him, she surely was. Behind them was a fair woman with booty shorts and a skimpy top to show her large cleavage. She watched the two men fawn over their little screw toy repulsively.

"Cheh. Fine. Just get it over with so we can move on. You two don't last long anyway…," she smirked, but her statement made her receive a snarl from the fat one as the latter rid a half conscious Gumi of her clothes.

"Oh go fuck off Amber! We-"

"Uh, Joe?"

"What Jazz?" The fat man shifted his rolls to the other.

"We must have grabbed one of those robot freaks. Look," he flicked the area between Gumi's legs, and the echo of metal resounding was heard. "No pussy."

"What! So what do we do now?"

"Well…" the lanky man showed his decaying teeth. "She still has a mouth."

"Yeah, one mouth."

The greasy haired man shrugged. "You take this one. I'm fine jacking off."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," he turned and looked over to the woman who was leaning against the opposite building, legs wide. "Amber is."

"Fuck off…," she bit halfheartedly, to (literally) into herself that she couldn't muster the energy to focus anywhere else besides her pussy that was starting to gleam from the eerie moonlight. Her fingers would pump; hastily abuse her G-spot to where she would groan, and then go back to coating her fingers. The shorts she was wearing were down to her ankles, not accompanied by underwear- which she seemed to have not been wearing anyway.

"When a girl is horny, a girl is horny. Now be quiet and fuck."

"With pleasure," Jazz approached her, unzipping his pants and turned back to the other man. "Go ahead Joe, take your time." Jazz slammed Amber against the wall, grabbed under her thighs, and slammed his erect member into the women right after she removed her fingers.

Joe rolled his eyes, jealous, but none the less zipped down his own pants to show his significantly smaller wanker and inserted it into the green haired girl's mouth.

Gumi started to gain focus, and she almost immediately noticed there was something in her mouth there shouldn't be. Her eyes came back, and she saw a disgustingly huge man slamming the underside of his rolls into her face. Instinct was not fully there but, when a liquid was launched into her mouth, and the thing on top of her tongue softened, she bit as hard as she could, and severed the length in her mouth to spit it out. The fat man howled as his blood shot out at her like a gun, and before she understand anything, his sausage fingers pried open her mouth and started pulling. She struggled, but couldn't get away. He just kept pulling and pulling until her jaw popped. He didn't stop there though, for her yanked her head in an opposite direction, and with more pain filling her than she could ever remember, Gumi finally understood…

She was going to die in this ally, alone, naked, not even completely human, and no mouth to voice her words of sorrow. She briefly thought over her life, and decided it was a good one but… the only regret she had…:

Was she never apologized to Miku.

12:30 A.M.

_BE-BEEP_

"Cheshire, over."

"Cheshire here, over."

"We got a blonde boy down here. Teens, little short though, over."

"Ah. I see," Uragimono tittered. "Well, bring him up here. Over."

The white haired man felt the power of the night become pure magic. Oh, the things he could do with young Deidara in his hands. He could accomplish his goal in fact! The annihilation of Sasori's work, freedom, love, and life shall be his greatest thing he had ever set out to do; and now it was so close. All he needed was Deidara, and everything would fall into place.

"You're not hurting him."

"Oh, we'll see."

What a silly Unicorn this woman was.

Uragirimono didn't bother to look behind his shoulder to observe the glowering woman. He kept his eyes focused on the ascending elevator, positive that he possibly could complete his plan tonight. It was all just so perfect! Oh how happy he was, he could just spin!

The elevator opened, and holding a blonde teen were two gross men that resembled trolls.

The boy was not Deidara though.

"He must be one of those people Cherry runs around with- the Kyoko, they call themselves," Itazura inspected her nails. "If anything, he probably could tell us where Dei-D-Dei is, so don't get your maniac smile in a twist."

"Right…," he frowned nonetheless as he approached the small boy. "Tell me, what your name is." The boy's face hung low. His head was dripping with red from around his hair line and cheek. It seemed possible for him to be unconscious. So as Uragirimono yanked the younger's head up, but he was met with soft features.

There was something wrong. "Who are you?" He questioned harshly while holding the boy's cranium.

Rin spat in his eye.

"Chih!" Uragirimono yanked the small teen's hair, palmed the blonde's chest quickly and felt his rage flare. He slapped the blonde in the face, making the teen land roughly on the roof. He then directed his anger towards the large brutes. "Idiots, this isn't even a boy!"

Rin felt her hair pulled again, but she didn't squeal or cry to give them the satisfaction.

Uragirimono made a show of her, undoing her lightly tied hair and pulling her up by the loose strands. It was all humiliating, but she would not give up. Her hands were tied behind her and no matter how fiercely she struggled; the white haired man just tightened his grip. But she would never stop.

"Shut it!" He slammed Rin down on the cement roof, breaking her mechanical nose and deepening her scars. Lifted again, the man grabbed her small chest. There wasn't much there, but enough to prove she was in fact female…

"Cheshire," a walkie-talkie buzzed. It was attached to the golden man's waist. "We've got another blonde down here. He looks older though, over."

"Send him up," he tightened his grip on Rin's hair. "And if they're not Deidara," he sneered at the half conscious girl. "Then you better hope your friend likes to talk my dear, or else you're going to be meeting death sooner than your immortal body wishes."

12:32 A.M.

Akaito sprinted. Lashed. Attacked, and pinned.

"Alright buddy," he whipped out a knife and held it to a man's throat. "Where would someone have taken hostages?"

"I-I"

He pierced the thin, greasy skin of the man's throat. The man hissed and tried to recoil but Akaito only pushed on the knife. "Make it quick or I'll kill you like the others."

"Th-the National Conference building! On the roof!"

"I'll…," he pondered something for a minute. Studying the man's eyes, he noticed how they quivered below him. After a still moment, he nodded. "I'll assume you're not lying, considering you don't look as stupid as the other fifteen guys I ran into," the redhead said standing up.

"F-fifteen?"

"Yeah, you know what all of you have in common though?"

"Wha-?"

"You're all going to die."

12:34 A. M.

Kikaito kneeled his head down in the ascending elevator, letting his predator grow. He knew he was being taken to the higher ups, and he was ready kill thanks to a little trick Sasori had taught him. He was burning, ready to growl, about to explode. He didn't question it. He had to be ready for the worst, and if that was all his friends and family laying before him, dead. He would become blind. If it was their screams of agony, he would become deaf. Kikaito knew he could never bear their sorrow, but he had to fight. So he drew all the anger, and hate from within, ready to pounce. Later he would blame everything on the tension of the night he supposed, but that was if there was a later.

He had to be ready for now.

The floors dinging away, the low light of the elevator gave the men restraining him shadowed faces to where he couldn't make out their profiles. There came a point where the machine jerked and became rickety for a few floors. The sudden shake made him calmer, and a chance to regain his polite figure that he held proudly; no matter how bad he wanted blood to flow under his hands. It was a terrible habit of his, to get so worked up that he couldn't contain his rage in dire points. Hopefully he could keep his cool long enough though, just to find out some information, and rescue who was needed.

The final bell dinged and he was pushed out the doors to his knees almost immediately. His head hanging low, he was quickly gagged, for they must have correctly assumed that he was one of the Kyoko. Kikaito guessed this was their procedure, but he didn't mind. He had done this to countless others, so this was merely a taste of what torture he had given to some.

"So…," his hair was yanked up to meet gold eyes. "You're not Deidara, but my cohorts aren't completely stupid I suppose- I know who you are."

"Mmmm."

"Ah. Yes," Uragirimono smiled. "You worked with Sasori a few years ago on the same job. It turned out to be a successful project if I remember, but only because he saved your pitiful life, correct?"

"…"

"Sasori may be great, but he does need help in bigger deals I suppose. But that doesn't mean you are worth anything. So you are going to tell me what I want to know, or else," he snapped his fingers, making a large men drag in a wide eyed Rin, still in her brother's clothes. "I'll throw this little angel overboard, and you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"…" Kikaito stared at Rin, apathy drowning his gaze. He knew better then to give away personal signals as to their relationship. Because at all costs, he needed the gag to be removed.

"Wait!"

"Girl," Uragirimono barked, and pulled a knife to Rin's throat. "I have no patience for you."

"Patience…?" she started to laugh in harsh pants. Her disfigured face giving away tiny sparks around her missing nose. "I… I have no patience… either…"

"Hn?" The white haired man stared a little interested in the girl's airy laugh.

"Kikaito," she looked to the other blonde. "Did… Did you know Len is dead?" she smiled with hysteria. "DID YOU KNOW LEN IS DEAD?"

"Len…? Who is this Len?" Uragirimono asked.

"Ah," Itazura intervened with disinterest. "She's probably the one with the twin. Heard they're closer than anything. I would assume she's pissed."

"Oh?" he smiled. "Tell me more child."

"More?" Rin locked eyes with Kikaito across the void, blood now spilling to decorate the area around her right eye. "What more…? It's… Sasori's fault… It's Deidara's fault… It's his fault!" She suddenly lurched in the large man's grasp toward the baritone, as if she was a wild animal. "You're the one that let Sasori into our home! You're the one that wanted to help him! YOU'RE the reason Len is dead!" Rin started to lose control over her anger and started kicking.

At this moment though, Uragirimono was smiling with approval, and bent down to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. "You should avenge him… Len wouldn't want you upset over him. You must settle his death… Kill that man over there…," he gestured his head over to Kikaito. "Kill him, and I'll let you have your pick to kill either Deidara, or Sasori."

Rin calmed at these words, her fierce eyes still on the blonde baritone. "Really…?"

"I give you my word," he motioned for the man holding her to release. He did so without hesitation, and Uragirimono gave Rin the knife that was poised at her throat moments ago. "Now, kill him, and prove yourself ready to revenge your brother… who I know loved you, so very very much."

"You're right," her teeth chattered, and finally clicked. "He did."

Rin took slow, deliberate steps over to the older man, her eyes hidden by her blood clauded hair. She started mumbling incoherently. As she got closer, the phrases started to make sense, and they chilled Kikaito to the bone.

"You… you killed Len… You deserve death. You all do…" she clenched her heart, now just standing a foot from him with the knife high above her head. Rin let her arm fall, and it sliced the cloth that covered his mouth. "I want to hear you scream, Kikaito…," her hand started to quiver, but she whispered: "Sonic Boom in three… two…" the knife dropped. "One."

He understood.

Kikaito and Rin opened up their full ranges, and a deafening sound from their artificial vocal chords covered the clouding sky. People started going deaf, a massive ring already imploding. Once Kikaito felt his limbs free, he grabbed Rin and threw themselves into the elevator, heading for the ground floor.

Out of sight.

Uragirimono was the first to recover, and so he fiercely started yelling at his brutes to cut the elevator line to let the two plummet to their deaths. They nodded, and then he went to his phone to dial a quick number.

"This is Bambi," the blonde responded on the other end. "What's going on?"

"Do you have Sasori's location?" the white haired man hissed.

"Yeah, but-"

"Take him out now. I want him taken out, now. I don't care what I said before, just do it!" He slammed the phone shut.

Across the roof, Itazura stood with a smug expression, finding it entertaining that Uragirimono was starting to lose his cool and the 'control' he supposedly had over the night.

Unlike him, she had come with ear plugs.

12:39 A.M.

In the elevator, Rin started crying. She held on to Kikaito for dear life, and silently sobbed into his shirt.

"I'm sorry," she choked. "I'm so sorry."

"Ssshhhh," he hushed. "Everything is going to be alright, I promise." He started stroking her hair. "I promise you, we'll find Len's killer, and-"

"No!" She suddenly screamed. "That's it, Len's not dead!" she started breathing irregularly, seemingly about to have a panic attack. "I left him alone and unable to defend himself… if he dies, it's my fault!"

"You'll get to him, I promise." Kikaito's eyes became solemn. "I promise…"

Around the tenth floor, the elevator started shaking. The two Kyoko members looked up, sensing what was happening. They anxiously watched the numbers on the little screen above their heads lower, and realized that they may not make it. Level five… Level four… the elevator gave a rapid shake and jolted. Level three… Level two… there was a huge delay in motion and a warning bell started to go off. Level one.

The doors open. The two singers saw a flash of red, and one of them pushed. A blonde went flying out the doors, and the other stayed behind as the elevator dropped out of sight. The blonde that survived landed in Akaito's arms, the both of them stared, horrified.

The elevator was gone.

12:41 A.M.

Bambi positioned her gun and loaded it. She removed the safety, and nodded to the five trained men behind her. She was either going to kill Sasori or take him in a pulp to the asshole to be prosecuted. But either way…

She will have no regrets.


End file.
